The Story Between Us
by TheGreyLadyy
Summary: Soon after the Mudblood fiasco, James and Lily decide to make peace and the two become friends. But being James' friend proves harder than she thought. Amid the fights and the laughs, Lily finds herself falling desperately in love with James, something she refuses to admit. Will Lily finally cave in and admit her feelings for James? And what will happen when she finally does?
1. Mudblood Fiasco

**A/N: **This is the first time I write a submit a story, so please bear with me. Any reviews, good or bad, are greatly appreciated! :)

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I wish I did but I don't. Anything you recognize belongs strictly to J.K Rowling. Anything you don't, belongs to me.**

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Chapter 1

"'_LEAVE HIM ALONE!' Lily shouted. She had her own wand out now. James and Sirius eyed it warily. 'Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you, ' said James earnestly. Take the curse off him, then!' James sighed deeply, then turned to Snape and muttered the counter-curse. There you go, ' he said, as Snape struggled to his feet. 'You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus -''I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!' Lily blinked. 'Fine,' she said coolly. 'I won't bother in future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus. '' –_Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

_"Mudblood"._

Lily stood there transfixed, letting the word sink in. Had he really said it? Had her best friend really uttered that unforgivable word?

As if to answer her question, she heard people gasp behind her and a look of shock washed over Potter's face. She looked over to Severus, but as always, his face was blank.

He didn't even appear in the least remorseful, as if saying the word had meant nothing to him. As if _she _meant nothing to him.

Well, two could play at that game.

She cleared her face of any emotion as she forced herself to meet Severus' gaze and choked back the tears that were threatening to come out. It wouldn't do to cry. Not now, anyway.

"Fine. I won't bother in the future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, _Snivellus_." She spat out the last word, feeling just a tad satisfied as she saw Severus flinch.

With one last glare at her former best friend and a look of loathing aimed at the arrogant prat behind him, who appeared to still be at loss for words, she turned around and left. She started towards the castle trying to get away from them all. She kept her head held high as she walked away from them, ignoring the whispers that seemed to be following her because, from what she had caught of the exchange between two Hufflepuff third-years, it was 'what _everyone _had been waiting for and Lindsey owed Nikki twenty sickles.'

She could hear James calling her, but she refused to look back. What did that prat want anyway? Hadn't he done enough already, taunting Severus like that? She couldn't help but blame Potter for it because, after all, if it hadn't been for him and his stupid friends, Severus would've never called her that.

She was almost to the castle when James caught up with her, the traitorous tears she had been trying to hold back running down her face.

"Lily wait! I—" he started, but she cut him off before he could say anything more.

"You what Potter?" she sneered, giving him that glare she reserved just for him. "You didn't mean to make Snape call me a Mudblood? Well you did! Are you happy now? You've ruined our friendship!"

"You think this is _my_ fault?"

James looked at her in bewilderment, as if her blaming him had been one of the most ridiculous things he had ever heard. She ignored the little voice that was telling her that she wasn't being fair, because it was easier that way, to have someone to blame. It hurt less.

"Yes this is all your bloody fault!" she hissed. "If you hadn't taunted him, none of this would have happened! You think you're better than he is, messing up your hair because you think it's cool to look like you've just got off your bleeding broom, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can – I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it! You make me _sick_. You're just as bad as he is." She sneered the last words, her chest heaving rapidly and James stood there, anger clouding his features.

He moved closer to her, lowering his voice as his face towered over hers. "No. It is not my fault. You've known bloody well what he is. He calls every one of your descent that foul word; why should _you_ be any different?"

She took a step back as if he had stung her, feeling at loss for words as he forced her to hear what she had desperately been avoiding. Because she _should _have seen it coming. She should have know it was bound to happen sooner or later. But she hadn't, because he was Severus, her best friend since she could remember, the closest she had ever come to a brother.

James gave her a look that could almost be described as pitiful. "And don't compare me to _him_. I would never call you that."

He sighed, walking away now, leaving Lily to glare at his retreating back because it was harder to blame him, when she knew he was right, as much as she hated to admit it. She wiped her tears angrily as she stalked off in the opposite direction, determined to put as much distance between herself, Potter, Severus and the rest of the onlookers that had lingered to try and catch anything from their exchange, as possible.

Because she wasn't going to cry. She wasn't going to give Severus that satisfaction because, damn it, it was just a word and it didn't hurt her.

Even if it had come out of the mouth of the person she had once considered to be her best friend.

It was a blur, walking through the castle and Lily didn't even pay any attention to where she was going, trusting her legs to do the work for her. She burst into the common room, ignoring the curious faces her Gryffindor peers were giving her. She practically ran up the stairs, not stopping when she heard the familiar voices of Alice Prewett and Marlene McKinnon calling after her, intent on getting to her room.

She threw the door open, slamming it shut as she stepped inside, finally letting the angry tears flow down her face and the fact that she was crying somehow made her angrier, because she knew she was being stupid, crying over a _word. _

Because, it was _just_ a word and it shouldn't hurt her. Even if it had been her best friend whose mouth it had come out from.

_Ex-best friend_, she reminded herself bitterly, grabbing the closest thing she could and flinging it at the wall opposite her as she heard the door creak open.

"Well, what did that poor pillow ever do to you?" Marlene asked, with that hint of amusement that never seemed to leave her voice.

"You know how stupid it is, to cry over something you should have seen coming?" Lily asked, her voice seething, as she ignored Marlene's remark. "Because you knew it was coming, you knew it was bound to happen, but you tried to give them the benefit of the doubt because, hey, maybe they'd surprise you, right?" She paced the room as Marlene and Alice, who obviously didn't know what she was going on about, followed her long strides, letting her rant. "And oh, do they surprise you, Merlin they do, just not in the way you expected. And it's almost magical, the way they can go from seemingly defenseless to a giant arsehole just like _that_." She snapped her fingers for effect. "And even when I tried to defend him! After all the excuses I've made for him, after all I've defended him, even from my friends, he still calls me a _Mudblood_."

She barely registered the soft gasp that came from her friends as she sank onto the bed nearest to her then, letting her shoulders slump.

"After all we've been through, he calls me a Mudblood. I thought-we were supposed to be _best friends. _And I should have seen it coming, but I didn't and now I'm just being stupid, crying over it."

She felt the bed slink slightly as somebody joined her and she turned to find Alice's kind, round face next to her, giving her a small smile. "No, Lily, you're not being stupid. He was your friend and he hurt you. And it wasn't your fault. You just put you're trust in the wrong person." "If he couldn't value your friendship, that's his fault. Don't torture yourself, sweetie. It's not worth it."

"_He's_ not worth it," Marlene said, taking a seat next to her. She reached out, wiping a tear away. "Stop torturing yourself over it and tell me, where can I find Snape? Not that I'm planning on hexing his arse into next week or anything..." Marlene grinned, in an obvious attempt to lighten the mood.

"Marlene!" Alice chastised.

Lily couldn't help but smile a bit at her friend's remark. Leave it to Marlene, to resort to violence for anything, even cheering her up. She sighed, resting her shoulder against her friend.

"What the hell would I do without you girls?"

"Probably wallowing in self pity, is my guess."

"Am I not allowed to?"

Marlene considered her question. "Yes, but we do it my way."

"And how is that?" Alice asked.

Marlene grinned as she stood up. "With lots and lots of ice cream."

* * *

James was in the Common Room, surrounded by the rest of the Marauders. They were whispering amongst themselves, glancing at James every few minutes, but he ignored them. Instead, he sat contemplating the fire, as if it held answers that it would not give.

Now that the anger had worn out, it made way for guilt. Maybe Lily was right. Maybe it was his fault. Maybe he was just as bad as—

"Oi! Prongs!"

James' thoughts were interrupted by a seriously concerned Sirius. Now wasn't that a first? Sirius rarely ever seemed concerned about anything.

"What?" he growled, not bothering to look over at his friend.

"What the hell is up with you?"

"Nothing. Everything is bloody perfect, can't you tell? It's not like I somehow managed to get Snape to call Evans a Mudblood or like she hates my guts even more now."

Sirius snorted, shaking his head. "Look mate, what Snape said today was horrible, yeah, but Evans had it—"

"Don't finish that sentence," James threw in darkly.

"What Sirius is trying to say is," Remus cut in, throwing Sirius a dark look, "is that it's not _entirely_ your fault. Right, Sirius?"

"But—" Sirius started protesting, but was silenced by the look Remus gave him. "Yeah, whatever," he muttered, crossing his arms over his chest."

James turned to look at his friend, running a hand through his dark hair. "I should apologise, shouldn't I?"

Remus hesitated. "That would be the best thing to do, yes. But not right now. Lily is obviously going through a rough time. Just wait until everything's worn down a bit."

Sirius let out a snort, but James ignored him.

"Yeah, mate. I guess you're right. Thanks Moony."

Remus gave a small nod and opened his book. James went back to contemplating the fire, with a more relaxed look on his face. Okay, so his friends were right and it wasn't entirely his fault. But he still had to apologise. And that was a problem all in itself because, by the looks of it, Lily wasn't going to talk to him any time soon.

Not that she talked to him much, anyway.

* * *

"Stupid, stupid, Snape," Lily muttered to herself as she used her spoon to stab at the tub of ice cream that Marlene had managed to obtain from the Hogwart's house-elves.

She was sitting in the common room, against her will she might add because Marlene had dragged her forcefully downstairs. She was surrounded by her friends, trying to keep her distance from the Marauders. She kept her gaze steadily at the carpet as Alice told their friend, Emmeline Vance, what had happened. Every so often, she would feel James staring at her hunched back, urging her to look at him. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. She felt too ashamed at what she had said because it hadn't been _entirely _his fault, what Snape had said.

"He didn't!"

"Oh, but he did." Lily finally looked up to meet her friend's gaze. "He called me a Mudblood_, _because apparently that's what I am to him. Just another _Mudblood_."

Emmeline frowned, looking ready to protest when a confused-looking Marry approached them.

"What is it, Mar?" Alice asked.

"Snape says he wants to see you," she said slowly, looking at Lily, her confusion evident. She had been in the library almost all day so, of course, she knew little to nothing about what had happened.

"Oh, he does, doesn't he?" Lily asked, returning to her previous task of stabbing the tub of ice cream. "Well, you can tell him to leave. I have no intention of talking to him. Better yet, tell him to go to hell."

Mary frowned, hesitating. "He's threatening to camp out there if you don't talk to him. Why is he doing that?"

_Later_, she saw Alice mouth to Mary, while Marlene turned to her. "I can go deal with him if you want."

"No. I'll go." Lily stood up, ignoring her friends' protesting looks. "Might as well tell him to go to hell myself."

Alice gave her a sympathetic look. "We'll be here for whatever you need, sweetie."

Lily gave her a small nod. She stood up slowly, and with as much dignity as she could muster, she made her way towards the portrait hole. From the corner of her eye, she could see a confused James following her with his eyes, but she didn't slow her pace. She kept walking until she reached her destination. She breathed deeply before stepping outside, unto the dark corridor.

Snape was standing in front of her, with a look of misery written all over his face. He seemed relieved when he saw her and offered her a small smile, that quickly disappeared when he met Lily's cold eyes.

"Lily, I—"

"Evans. It's Evans to you now," she said coldly.

Snape hesitated. "Look I'm sorry," he said meekly, offering an apologetic smile, as if that would fix anything.

"Save your breath, Severus. I'm not interested. For years I've been making excuses for you. Nobody can understand why I even talk to somebody like _you_," she spat out angrily. "Don't think that I came out here to forgive you. I came to tell you to leave me alone. I want nothing to do with you."

"Lily, I'm sorry! I never meant to call you a Mudblood it just—"

She laughed coldly. "It just slipped out? Am I supposed to believe that? Why don't you go back with your precious little Death Eater friends and leave me alone?" she sneered. "And don't pretend like its not what you are all aiming to be. You just can't wait to join Voldemort can you?"

A part of her hoped that he say something to prove her wrong, but Snape only flinched at the mention of Voldemort's name, not saying a word.

"See! You don't even try to deny it. I can't pretend any more. You've chosen your path, I've chosen mine."

"But I didn't mean to call you a—"

"A Mudblood? Don't lie, Severus. You call everyone of my birth that name, why should I be any different?" she asked quietly.

Snape looked at her, almost pleading. "Because I-I—"

Lily raised her hand, silencing him. "It's over, Severus. What we had-our _friendship_-it's over."

She gave her former best friend one last pitiful look, before clambering inside. The last thing she needed was to do something stupid, like cry.

She walked slowly into the common room, ignoring the questioning glance coming from half the Gryffindor population. She sat heavily onto the spot next to Marlene, resting her head against her shoulders. She closed her eyes, shaking her head as her friends questioned her, trying to get her to tell them exactly what had happened with Snape. But she didn't feel like talking about that.

It had been hard enough the first time.

A small cough behind them interrupted their protests and Lily froze. Oh, no, this was bad. The last thing she needed was for James to come and remind her again exactly why she should have seen it coming.

She turned her head and was met by the warm eyes of a sandy-haired boy. Remus Lupin. She let out a sigh of relief and smiled kindly at him.

"Hey, Lily, can we, um, talk?"

"Sure, Remus. Anything for my favourite Marauder."

She might hold a strong dislike against James, but that didn't mean she couldn't be friends with _his _friends and it just so happened that Remus was one of her closest friends.

Remus returned her smile, and Lily stood up slowly, following him to a secluded part of the common room. She was curious to hear what Remus wanted to talk to her about. And then it hit her. James_._

She groaned inwardly. _Of course he wants to talk to you about James, you twat. What did you expect?_

She scowled at herself for being so stupid as to remain in the Common Room instead of going up to her dormitory. She looked at Remus anxiously, waiting for him to make the first move. After a few minutes of hesitation, they both decided to speak.

"Lily, I—"

"Remus I know—"

He sighed. "You go first, Lily."

Lily hesitated for a second. "Look Remus, I know you're here to talk about what I said to James, and I'll agree that it _might _have been a little too harsh. I was mad and I didn't mean to tell him all those horrible things. I mean, I know it wasn't his fault, but I can't talk to him. Not right now, anyway. I just don't know what to say," she said quietly.

Remus chuckled, much to her surprise.

"Well, you're right about that. But I understand you and so does James. But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about." His expression turned serious as he passed a hand through his sandy hair. "I wanted to apologise."

Lily was startled. Now _that_ she hadn't been expecting

"Apologise? What for? You didn't do anything," she said with a small frown.

Remus let out a sigh. "But that's the problem Lily. I _didn't_ do anything. I didn't try to stop them. I let them carry on with their pranks. And that makes me as guilty as James and Sirius. As bad as Snape," he added quietly.

"But, Remus, you're being ridiculous! It wasn't you're fault, nor was it James' for that matter. It was evident to everyone but me what Snape was becoming. If anyone's to blame, it's me." She sighed, reaching out to touch Remus' arm, giving him a small smile. "You're such a good person, Remus. Maybe you didn't do anything, but neither did I. _I_ knew what Snape was becoming, but I ignored it."

She crossed her arms over her chest, letting out a small sigh.

"This is the part where _I _tell you that _you're_ being ridiculous. You couldn't have done anything, even if you tried. Snape had already chosen his path. It doesn't matter how hard you try to change a person; sometimes, there's nothing that you can do. "


	2. Apologies

**Disclaimer: **Don't own anything you recognize.

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Chapter 2: Apologies

The following morning, a very tired-looking Severus Snape could be found sitting at the Slytherin table. He was staring intently at the Gryffindor table, waiting for a certain Lily Evans to make her appearance.

He had just given up, when he felt the atmosphere change, as it always did whenever she was around. He stood up, slowly making his way toward her, before all the courage he had managed to muster left him. He stared at her, willing her to look at him.

As if hearing his thoughts, she raised her head and their eyes met. But the kindness he had grown so used to seeing in those emerald green orbs was gone, only to be replaced by the cold, hard look any Death Eater would be proud of. He saw Alice follow her gaze, and felt her glaring at him. He could feel all of their glares and saw them standing around Lily, protectively.

But he didn't care. He _needed_ to talk to her. To make her understand. He hadn't meant to call her that foul word, hadn't meant to hurt her like that. And yeah, maybe he _did_ throw that word around a lot, but this time had been different. _She_ was different. He hadn't meant to. It was just a slip of the tongue.

A _horrible_ slip of the tongue that he regretted.

"Lily." He spoke her voice softly, but she ignored him, looking straight through him, making him feel invisible.

"Fuck off, Snape," snarled Marlene.

Severus ignored her, concentrating instead on the pretty redhead who was avoiding his gaze. If she'd only just look at him, maybe she'd see how sorry he was.

"Lily, _please_. I need to talk to you."

"No, Snape. Didn't Lily make it clear enough that she wants _nothing_ to do with you," Alice said, with a coldness in her voice Severus had never heard before. Out of all of Lily's friends, Alice had always been the only one that had been decent to him.

"But—"

"No, _Snape_. There is nothing you can say that would make me change my mind about you," Lily said, her voice thick with loathing. "We're done. I can't believe I was ever friends with somebody like you," she sneered and her eyes were cold, unforgiving.

She left, leaving Snape trying to hold the pieces of his heart together.

"I love you, Lily," he whispered sadly as he watched her walk away, getting farther away from his reach with every step she took.

* * *

The last two weeks of school passed by in a blur. So much had gone on that year that Lily was glad for a break. But she needed to do something before it ended. Partly because Mary kept bugging her that it was the right thing to do, but mostly because her own conscience was killing her. She had said some pretty horrible things that she didn't mean and she knew she had to do it, no matter how much she hated the idea of it.

She needed to apologise to James.

Of course, that was easier said than done. She had been putting it off, avoiding confrontations with James as best as she could, keeping instead to the library, one of the only places he hardly _ever_ visited.

But enough had been enough and that is why a day before school ended and summer vacation began, Lily found herself spying the Marauders quietly. She was staring intently at James, trying to figure out a way to get himalone so she could apologise. So lost in her thoughts was she, that she didn't hear someone approaching her.

"Good afternoon, Miss Evans."

Lily jumped about a foot in the air, feeling herself freeze. Slowly, she turned around and looked up to see the kind face of Albus Dumbledore.

"G-g-ood aft-ternoon, Professor," she stuttered, quiet startled.

She looked nervously over her shoulder, and Dumbledore followed her gaze.

"Ah, I see you're here to apologise to Mr. Potter, but you're finding it difficult. Am I right?"

"How did you know?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"There is nothing that goes on in my school that I am not aware of, Miss Evans," he chuckled kindly. He looked at her with those kind blue eyes, that seemed to pierce right through her soul. "In situations like this," he continued, "I find that it is better to act without thinking."

"I'm sorry?"

"Apologies are so much better when they come from the heart, Miss Evans. Don't worry about what you are going to say. Just say _it. _Even the best of us, must sometimes eat our words." He gave her one last smile and started walking away. "And Ms Evans? You might have lost a friend, but it seems to me as if you have the chance to gain one in the process. A _very_ good friend at that. It would be wise, not to let an opportunity like that pass you."

* * *

James sat with his back slumped against the giant beech wood tree, hardly paying any attention to what Sirius was going on about. Something about Anne What's-her-name's nice rack or something like that; he was too absorbed into his own thoughts to pay much attention.

He sighed, grasping his head in his hands as he brought his knees up.

He had done it. He had finally done it. Lily hated him. She absolutely hated him.

For the past two weeks, James had tried, he really had, to talk to her. He needed to apologise, because she had been right. He had acted like a prat and maybe it hadn't been his fault that Snape had called her _that _word, but he had definitely contributed to it. And now she hated him, she was never going to forgive him. He might as well give up all hope—

"James?"

Or maybe not.

James looked up to see an uncomfortable Lily looking at him. He blinked stupidly, trying to determine whether or not she was really standing in front of him. He was _that_ surprised that he didn't even notice she had called him by his first name. In any other circumstance, he'd have been beside himself.

"_Lily_?"

"Can I-can I talk to you?" She offered him a smile, wringing her hands around nervously.

He smiled kindly at her as relief washed over him. Maybe he hadn't entirely blown it. She appeared calm, with no signs of wanting to hurt him. Or maybe it was all just a trick and she'd hex him as soon as his back was turn.

Or maybe he should just stop being stupid and apologise.

"Sure, Lily. Guys?"

Remus gave James an understanding smile and stood up, motioning for Peter and Sirius to follow. When they had gone, James turned to Lily, an apology already forming in his lips, but he was cut off by Lily.

"JamesImsosorryaboutallthosehorridthingsIsaid," she said hurriedly, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground.

He opened his mouth, then closed it, rubbing the back of his neck. "I, er, what?"

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I didn't mean anything I said. I was just—"

"Sad. Angry. Dissapointed," James finished quietly.

She nodded, shrugging her shoulders. "I know it wasn't your fault, but it felt easier to blame you, you know? It was easier than admitting to myself that Severus was no longer the person I once knew." She sighed, holding his gaze. "I'm really sorry, James. About everything I said."

James sighed, brushing a hand through his hair, before dropping it midway. He let his hand fall limply beside him, offering her a small smile.

"No, Lily. _I_ should be the one apologizing. You were right. What Snape said was as much my fault as it was his. I'm sorry."

Lily smiled wearily. "I would tell you it's not your fault, but we'd just be going around in circles here. So let's just leave it at that." She paused, giving him a thoughtful look, before offering him her hand. "Friends?"

James could feel his face breaking into a grin as he took it. "Friends."

Not what he was looking for, but it'd do. It would _definitely_ do.

* * *

**A/N**: Yes, Dumbledore shipped Jily and you can't tell me otherwise! lol Anywho, what'd you guys think? Was it good or is there anyway I could improve my writing. Please review :)


	3. Late Night Confessions

**A/N: **Thanks to you guys who reviewed! You guys are awesome :)

Chapter 3: Late-Night Confessions

Lily was standing in her dormitory, packing her trunk. It was well past midnight and her friends were oddly quiet and she could feel their curious glares burning in the back of her skull. She started humming to herself, a smirk creeping on her lips, when Marlene broke the silence.

"Alright, Lily. Speak up. What the fuck is going on between you and Potter?"

"I have no idea what you're going on about, Marley," she said, turning around with an innocent smile. Marlene's eyes narrowed and was about to respond when she was cut off by an exasperated Mary.

"Don't act like you don't bloody know what we are going on about. We all saw you. Merlin, the whole school saw you talking to him!", she said glaring at her. Mary's sudden outburst startled Lily, and she let out a small giggle. It was so unlike Mary, who usually refrained herself from using that kind of language. She was about to comment on it, but Alice cut her off.

"Yeah, Lils. One minute you can't stand him, and the next you're walking around acting as if you're friends," she said half-irritated, half-amused.

"Yeah. I thought we were supposed to be best friends and tell each other _everything," _an indignant Emmeline piped in.

"Oh, really?" said a clearly amused Lily, raising an eyebrow. "Well in that case I don't see why I shouldn't tell you. But—," she said, cutting of her friends' cheers, "only if Alice promises to say what she's been up to with Frank lately, Marley confesses she has a crush on Sirius and Mary on Remus," she said with a sly smile.

She looked from Marlene to Mary, the latter of which was a deep-beet red, and finally to Alice, who looked flabbergasted.

"I hate you," said Marlene, narrowing her eyes at Lily.

"I love you too, Marley," she said, giggling, as she climbed into bed.

"Fine, whatever, I like Sirius," cried an exasperated Marlene. "Now, will you please just tell us?!"

Mary looked at Lily, her eyebrows raised, narrowing her eyes. "How did you know?"

"Hhm?", asked Lily, not looking up from the book she was now reading.

"About me liking Remus," she said, lowering her voice.

"Mmm, it's obviously not the way you look at him, Mar," the redhead replied, with a smirk.

"Ha ha. Am I that obvious?"

Lily was about to respond when she was interrupted by Alice.

"Frank and I are dating!"

Everyone looked startled at Alice's sudden outburst. Emmeline was the first to react, shrieking with glee.

"Oh my God! I knew it! I knew it!", she said running to hug Alice. The girls soon followed suit and they were all standing around Alice jumping up and down, shrieking in excitement, all demanding to know every single detail.

"Is he a good kisser?"

"How did he ask you out?"

"When did this happen?!"

"Does he have a big penis?"

"Marley!", cried the four girls in unison, each taking a turn at swatting her playfully in the arm. "Hey, it's a valid question," she said, giving them a cheeky smile.

"Merlin, Marley," said a clearly annoyed Alice, rubbing her nose. "I do _not _know how big _it _is since I haven't seen it."

"Yet."

Alice decided to ignore Marlene's comment. "I suppose he is a good kisser," she said beaming. "And he asked me out when we were both in the library. It was rather sweet actually. The way he seemed nervous when he approached me…it was rather endearing," she said smiling at the memory. "And well I would have said something earlier but you had that thing going on with Snape, and you seemed miserable and I didn't want to seem like I was rubbing it in your face," she offered meekly.

"Oh, Ali, you great twat. You should've told us. This is the kind of thing best friends are _supposed_ to tell each other."

"I know, but you were going through such a rough time…you guys forgive me?"

"Duh. So Lily. We told. Now it's your turn."

"You and James?"

"We're friends. And I don't understand what all the fuss is about. You guys were the ones that said I should apologize."

Marley lay at Lily's feet, lazily putting her hands behind her head. "Yeah, but we didn't think you'd _actually_ befriend him. I can't blame you though. He's hot. I'd shag him," the brunette said with a wink.

Lily grabbed her pillow and smacked her friend playfully in the face. "Goodness, Marley! Do you ever think about something other than shagging? I swear, it's like you and Sirius were meant for each other."


	4. Summer Blues

Chapter 4: Summer Blues

"You guys have to promise to write during the summer," said a teary-eyed Emmeline, as they got closer and closer to their destination.

Lily smiled. "Of course we'll write, Emmie."

"Yeah, Em," Marlene said, throwing her arms around both girls, "stop fretting."

"And you girls have to promise to come visit," said Alice sadly.

"Not you too, Ali. We will. Now stop moping you guys. It's not like we're not going to see each other."

"I know but I'm just going to miss you guys so much."

The girls let out a sigh as the train came to a stop. Slowly, they made their way out off. They stood in a circle, huddled together in a group hug. Mary, being the most sensitive one, started sobbing quietly. Soon, all girls followed suit, except Marlene, who looked at them, half-irritated, half-amused.

"Merlin, girls. Stop crying."

The girls broke apart, drying their tears. "You insensitive arse," said a giggling Mary.

"Aaw, ickle-Marykins tried to insult me. I must be rubbing off on you. I'm so proud of you," Marlene said, reaching up to pinch her friend's cheek.

"Sod off," said a smiling Mary, sticking her tongue out at Marlene.

"I'm going to miss you girls," sighed Lily, making her way to her parents who were waving happily at her.

"Lily!" She turned around to see James running towards her. She smiled at him, waiting for him to catch up, and resuming her pace once he did. Marlene, who had noticed the exchange looked at James, then at Lily and smiled suggestively. Lily smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Hello, James," she said smiling pleasantly.

James ran a nervous hand through his hand, hesitating for a moment. "I, uh, just wanted to, I mean I was, uh, wondering, if, if we could, uh, you know, keep in touch over the summer, if it was okay with you obviously, since we're friends now, but it's okay if you don't want to—"

Lily laughed gently, "I'd like that James."

"Well, okay, then," he said smiling down at her. "Have a great summer then," he said hugging her awkwardly. "You, too." As she watched him leave, he turned around suddenly. "Are they you're parents?"

"Yes."

"I thought so. You look extraordinarily like your dad. Except the eyes, you've got your—"

"Mum's eyes. I've been told," she said with a smile. With one last friendly wave, James made his way to an older looking couple, who Lily could only guess where his parents. As she made her way back to her own parents, she noticed her mum eying her suspiciously with a sly smile.

"So, I take it that's the famous James Potter, isn't it?" whispered Mrs. Evans, pulling her daughter into a hug. Lily pulled back, looking at her mum in the eyes. "How'd you know?"

"Love, I'm your mother, I know _everything_. And besides I saw the way he was looking at you."

"Oh, mum. I've missed you," said Lily, smiling at her mother. "And you too, Daddy. It's good to be home."

* * *

Even though Lily missed the girls so much it hurt, she was also glad to have some privacy at last. They had not left her alone for one minute after the incident with Snape. She had been so busy, she hadn't been able to ponder on her situation. But now, laying in her bed, hearing We Just Disagree-Dave Mason blasting out of the radio, the reality of it had hit her. Snape had been her first friend, her best friend. And now he wasn't.

They could never go back to how things were. Now that the anger had worn out, only sadness was left. And so she cried. But not for this new Severus. She cried for her old friend, the one she had loved, not in a romantic way, but had loved him all the same.

She cried for the small boy wearing a woman's shirt that she had met all those years ago, before their Hogwarts years. Before he had changed. They had both changed. She realised that now. They both wanted something different now. She sobbed even harder.

Petunia decided at that precise moment to barge into her room, keen on finding a reason to argue, since she was currently in a foul mood. She stopped in her tracks when she saw her sister curled in a ball, crying her heart out. Petunia made her way to Lily's bed and sat down gently, pulling her up into a hug.

"Tuney—"

"Shh, Lenny," Petunia whispered, using Lily's childhood nickname, the same Petunia had given her, back from when they had been close, when Lily was obsessed with growing up and marrying John Lennon. When Petunia had been her best friend, and they had been inseparable. She rocked her little sister back and forth, caressing her hair gently. "It's okay, Lils."

"It's not okay, Tuney." Lily sobbed harder, telling her sister everything. Even though Petunia had no idea what the word Mudblood meant, she still flinched at the word, sensing it meant something unpleasant. When Lily finished, she felt so much lighter. She hadn't realised how much she had needed her sister. Her sobs gradually lessened, and the two stayed like that, for the longest, each fearing that when the other let go, things would go back to how they had been.

**A/N: **So I was in a good mood so I decided to update this chapter too, since the other one is shorter than the first two. Hope you guys liked it...let me know what you think :)


	5. Sirius Writer's Block

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did, I wouldn't be paying a fortune for college. I'd be off in my own private island, sipping margaritas.

Chapter 5: Sirius Writer Block

_Dear Lily,_

_How have you been? Okay, I hope. I've been busy lately, with what trying to stay out of trouble and managing my busy schedule and all. Just last night I remembered I hadn't wrote to you so I figured today was as good as day as any, since I'm not busy and—_

Useless. Completely useless. James crumbled the letter and threw it to the pile at his feet that seemed to be growing bigger by the minute. He let out an exasperated groan and rubbed his eyes, before getting out a clean parchment. Ever since the first day of their summer holiday, James had been trying to write a letter to Lily, without success. James stared at the parchment, urging his brain to come up with something clever to write. Nothing. He had always been good with words, but when it came to Lily, things were always so much more complicated. James let his head fall to the desk, and let out a frustrated sigh.

Mrs. Potter, who had been walking by James' room at that precise moment, popped her head into her son's room.

"What's the matter, love?" she asked, her voice full of motherly concern. Her eyes fell to the pile of crumbled parchment by James' feet. "Aah, I see. Writer's block." James turned his head, so that he was facing his mother, and nodded his head.

Dorea laughed gently. "I don't know if I ever told you this, but long before I met your father, I took up journalism for a while. I worked for the Daily Prophet. I was one of their best writers, if I do say so myself," she said smiling proudly.

James let out a groan. He had heard this story a million times. And the one about how she tried being an Alchemist; and a Potioneer; and then a Magizoologist, where she studied different creatures; and about her short teaching career at Hogwarts, teaching Transfiguration, before finally deciding that what she really wanted to be was an Auror. James let out a sigh, but his mother was too deeply engrossed in her story to pay any attention to him.

"—but deep down I always knew that my path was to become an Auror. Great disappointment that was when my parents found out," she let out a dramatic sigh. "Oh, but what fun I had. I remember when I first met your father—"

"Mum," James groaned, "your point?"

"Oh yes. Well, when I was a journalist, and I had a serious case of writer's block, I found that taking a break would help me clear my head. I would take a walk, or sip some tea. You'd be surprised what great help that can be. The words start pouring out of your heart into your paper," she said, gently teasing her son's hair.

"Mum," James said laughing. At that moment, Pinky, their house-elf, came walking in. Bowing deeply, she said, "Master James—"

"Pinky! How's my favourite elf doing?", said James grinning.

"Pinky is fine, sir," she said smiling. "Sir, Pinky is here to tell Master James that Master Sirius is waiting downstairs, sir."

"Sirius? But he isn't due for another three weeks," said James, completely puzzled. "I wonder what he wants."

"Well, I'm pretty sure we aren't going to find out sitting here. Come on love. Better go see what happened."

"Yeah, you're right mum. Pinks, would you please tell Sirius, I'll be down in a moment?" he said smiling at the elf.

"Yes, Master," she said, before bowing herself out of the room.

* * *

Sirius was pacing before his fireplace, when James came down the stairs, closely followed by his mother.

"Sirius! Sweetie, what a lovely surprise," said Dorea, before pulling Sirius into a warm embrace. "Is everything all right, love?" she asked, pulling back, her voice full of concern.

James could see Sirius hesitate. "I, well, I was wondering, if you'dletmestaywithyou," mumbled the handsome boy rapidly.

"Wait. What?"

Sirius shot James an annoyed look. "I said, I was wondering if you'd let me stay with you," he said quietly, an embarrassed look invading his face.

"Why of course, love. You know you're always welcome in our home. But may I ask—?"

"I, well, I got into an argument with my mother, and I, well, I ran away," he said, unsuccessfully keeping the pain out of his voice.

Dorea looked at Sirius with love and understanding in her eyes. She pulled him into another hug, gently stroking his hair. "It's okay, love," she said gently. "You know where your room is, I'm sure," she said smiling. "Go unpack.

The boys trotted up the stairs. James gave Sirius a pat on the back. "It's okay, mate. You heard the woman. You're always welcome here. You're my best mate. More like a brother actually."

"Thanks mate," Sirius said, smiling sadly.

"Look mate, I'm not a chick so don't expect me to give great advice or anything girly like that. But I am willing to listen. Whenever you're ready."

"Yeah, thanks Prongs. So…gotten laid yet? Or are you still doing things manually?", Sirius asked, with a mischievous grin.

"I heard that," Mrs. Potter called from downstairs, sounding amused.

"Oy, mate! Keep your voice down," said an annoyed James, while Sirius roared with laughter. James rolled his eyes, before smacking Sirius upside the head.

"Ow. What the bloody hell was that for?!"

"For being an arse." They stared at each other, before breaking into laughter. It was surprising what a few minutes with his mate could do; Sirius felt better than he had since the beginning of summer. James was more than his best mate. He was his brother. Sirius let out a sigh. "Thanks, Prongs," he said, smiling.

"Anytime, Padfoot."

**A/N: **Hey guys! Sorry for taking so long! But I got caught up with some stuff. But it's all good now :) Hopefully I can keep on updating regularly now. I hope you guys like this. It's not my best (I was having a writer's block -_-) and this was the best I could come up with. Also, it doesn't help that it's 1 in the morning here. I'm dead tired. But hope you guys enjoyed it all the same (: Review it please? I don't really like asking for reviews, but it is a great way for me to keep track on how I'm doing. And to see what I have to improve :) So pretty please review so I can stop nagging you? :D And I promise it'll get better


	6. Revenge is sweet, Forgiveness sweeter

**A/N**: Thanks to the people who reviewed my last chapter, meaghanxxx, Elf10444, lostangel558750, and my Anonymous reviewer. This one is for you guys and all of you who Favorited it. :D Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Alas, I am not J.K Rowling, which means I do not own Harry Potter, which means I am not filthy rich, which means I have to go to college tomorrow. *Sigh*

Chapter6: Revenge is sweet, Forgiveness sweeter

_Dearest Lily,_

_It is I, your former best friend, Emmeline Vance. You know, the incredibly gorgeous one, with amazing brown hair? The one you happen to share a dormitory with back at Hogwarts? Yes, that is me. I feel the need to remind you of who I am, because apparently you have forgotten me. _

_Oh, Lily I've missed you! Although it is quite apparent that you don't miss me. Two weeks Lily! To weeks and not a single letter or phone call from you! I could be dead for all you know! Well, actually you did call me recently, but it's not the same! I've missed you terribly. How's everything? Is Petunia still being horrid as usual? Please write soon, Lils._

_Love,_

_Emmy_

Taking out a new sheet of parchment, Lily laughed quietly to herself. She could always count on Em to be overly dramatic. She smiled sadly at the letter, reading it again. Oh, how she missed her friends! She let out a small sigh, and proceeded to respond to her friend.

_Dearest Em,_

_Oh, sweet, sweet Emmy. Last time I checked you were very well capable of writing a letter, too. And correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you the one who has a huge crush on the oh so attractive Fabian Prewett, who happens to be Alice's older cousin? If so, then yes, I do remember you._

_Everything's been good. Great actually. Tuney and I are in speaking terms again. It feels great to have my sister back. But, oh, Emmy, I've missed you so much! I cannot wait to see you girls soon! How's everything with you, Em? Write soon!_

_Lots of Love,_

_Lily_

Lily turned to her snowy white owl, Athie, which she had cleverly named after the Greek goddess, Athena. "Mind taking this to Em for me, Athie?", she said, smiling sweetly. Her owl gave her a hoot in response, and stuck her leg out, waiting patiently for Lily to tie the letter to it. After giving Lily an affectionate nip on her finger, Athie spread her wings and took flight. Lily smiled absentmindedly after her owl, before making her way downstairs, were Mrs. Rose Evans was busy cooking breakfast.

"Good morning, dearest mother!", Lily said, giving her mother a big hug, before taking a seat in her usual spot at the table.

"G'morning, dearest. Breakfast will be ready in a moment," said her mother, giving her an affectionate kiss on her forehead. "By the way love, this was out front when I went to pick up the morning newspaper," she said, pointing at a letter sitting in the counter. Lily took the letter, looking puzzled.

Her name was written in neat, spiky writing across the envelope, but that was it. It did not say who it was from. But Lily already knew who it was that had written to her. Her hands trembling slightly, Lily opened the letter Severus had written her. She took a deep breath, before reading it.

_Dear Lily,_

_I hate not being able to talk to you like I used to. Your friendship means everything to me. I am deeply sorry for all the pain I have caused you. But we need to talk. I need to set things straight. Give me a chance. Please. _

_-Severus_

Lily angrily crumpled the letter into a ball, before throwing it on the table. She crossed her arms and stared out the window, forcing back the angry tears that were threatening to come out. She felt her mum stand behind her, and she angrily wiped her tears.

Rose stood behind her daughter, gently placing a hand on her shoulders. "I don't know if I ever told you this, but I used to have a best friend back in high school. We were inseparable. We did everything together, shared everything. Including my boyfriend," she said with a sad sigh, looking out the window, as if it were replaying the painful events she was remembering.

"I was crushed when I found out. The two people I loved the most had hurt me. Naturally, I was angry. I refused to talk to them, didn't want anything to do with them. She tried apologizing, but I never let her explain. And I regret that. You shouldn't let the same thing happen to you, love. Rancor is a vile thing and it will consume you whole. Forgiveness, on the other hand is a wonderful thing. You don't have to resume your friendship, but just hear him out, baby. You'll feel so much better afterwards," she said, giving her daughter's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

Lily placed a hand on top of her mother's and stared up lovingly at her. "Thanks, mum. You really are wonderful."

"I know I am," Rose said with a small laugh. "Now eat up love, before it gets cold. I made strawberry pancakes. Your favorite," she said giving Lily a gentle kiss, before turning back to her cooking.  
"Mmm, something smells delicious," Petunia said, standing in the doorway. "Morning mum," she said before taking a seat next to Lily. "Tuney, love, can you go to the grocery for me after breakfast?", Rose said, before placing a plate before her. "Sure, mum. Want to come, Lils?"

Lily smiled sweetly at her older sister. "I'd love to," she said, because nothing sounded better than going out with her sister.

* * *

Lily and Petunia were sitting lazily under the cool shade, their feet propped up on the bench's arm rest, using each other's back as support, a bag of sweets positioned between them. Having finished their shopping early, they were at the park talking about random things. They were currently playing a game which Petunia identified as "Smash or Pass".

"How about him."

"Who?"

"That bloke with the cardigan sweater."

"Eew, Tuney. He's way too old. I'd rather pass."

"But, I thought you liked older men," she said teasingly.

"Yes, Tuney, but not men who look old enough to be my father!"

Petunia let out an amused laugh. Lily was about to make another remark, but stopped when she felt Petunia tense beside her. She looked over at her sister and followed her gaze, before letting out a small gasp. Standing in front of them was none other than Severus Snape.

"What do you want, freak," Petunia snarled.

Snape ignored Petunia's comment, turning his attention the redhead girl sitting beside her. "Lily, I need to talk to you. Please," he said, with an urgency that almost made Lily pity him. Almost.

"Leave my sister— "

"It's okay, Tuney," Lily said, gently touching Petunia's shoulder.

"I'll wait for you in the car. If you're not there in five minutes, I'll come looking for you," she said before giving Snape one last look of loathing.

"Thanks, Tuney." She turned to Severus, waiting for him to talk, but he just stood there awkwardly, looking at her. After a minute, an annoyed Lily broke the silence. "Well. What are you waiting for?"

Severus hesitated a moment. "Lily, I'm sorry. Really, I am. I never meant to call you a-a—"

"A mudblood," Lily said, indifferent.

Snape nodded swallowing hard. "Yes, that. But it wasn't my fault, Lily. If it wasn't for that bloody James Potter—"

"Don't blame James. He didn't force you to call me a mudblood," she said coldly.

"All the same, Lily. You got me when I was most vulnerable. I was made the laughing stock of the whole school. Imagine how bad it looked that I needed a _girl _to defend me. Please try to understand me. If you hadn't come to my rescue—"

"Are you implying that it was my fault that you called me a mudblood?!"

"No, Lily. Wait, you've got it all wrong. Let me finish please Lily. I—"

"Oh, save it Severus. You're not helping yourself. And you're most definitely telling me something I don't already know. And you know what yes, I forgive you." Snape broke into a smile, which fell rapidly as soon as he heard Lily's next words. "But that does not mean we can still be friends. Because we can't Severus. We want different things. You've chosen your path, I've chose mine."

"But, Lily I love—"

"No, Severus. You don't. I'm sorry. Goodbye." Lily made her way past him, before turning back. "You know what's funny? I might have actually loved you, too. But not this you. I would have loved the sweet little boy I met years ago. What happened to him, Sev?", she asked sadly, before turning away from him.

"He's still here. And he'll never stopped loving you," he said sadly, watching her walk out of his life.

A/N: So...did you guys like it? I have a new chapter ready to post, after I review it of course, so expect that tomorrow or the day after that :) And, review s'il vous plaît? (that's french for please, for those of you who don't know :] )


	7. Lost Letters and Expectations

**A/N:** Thanks to my awesome reviewers: nacho5 and lostangel558750. You guys rock!

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I am still not J.K Rowling. I have to get up for college tomorrow instead of vacationing in Hawaii, surfing for hotties. :(

Chapter 7: Lost Letters and Expectations

Sprawled hopelessly across his desk, James sat down staring intently at the wall, as if it held the answers to all of his problems. Every now and then, he'd raise his head eagerly, a hint of inspiration gleaming in his hazel eyes. But just as soon as it had appeared, the inspiration was gone and he'd reluctantly resume his position. It happened again, and James raised his head, quickly grabbing for a quill. But as soon as he did, he forgot what he was going to write. He let out a groan and let his head fall back on his desk.

Suddenly, he heard someone making their way up the stairs. James raised his head slightly, trying to make out who it was. Sirius. Only Sirius could make such a ruckus. James let out another groan and went back to his former position. Moments later, James heard a small knock on his door.

"Go away Padfoot," he groaned.

Sirius, being Sirius, ignored James and barged into his room. Sirius stood there for a moment, allowing his eyes to adjust to the room's darkness. He then made his way to James window and pulled back the curtains, allowing a stream of sunlight to rush into the room. James shielded his eyes against the sudden excess of light.

"What in the bloody hell do you want, Sirius?!", he grumbled.

"'Rea asked me to check on you mate."

"Rea?"

"That charming woman you call mum," said the young boy, shrugging slightly as he inspected his friend's room. His eyes fell to the small mountain of crumbled letters and he bent down to pick one up. "Blimey! Is this what you have been doing for the past two weeks, mate? Writing love letters?" he said, snickering.

James rolled his eyes at him. "Sod of," he grumbled. "What in the bloody hell do you want?" James repeated again, clearly annoyed.

Sirius shrugged. "I came to check on you. I've been here for three weeks and for the past two you haven't come out, except to use the loo and eat. Just wanted to make sure you hadn't hung yourself or anything," he said grinning.

"Well, as you can see, I haven't. So can you please go away," James mumbled, turning his back on Sirius.

Sirius, who most certainly did not like being ignored, got the first thing he could find and flung it at James head.

James spun around angrily and glared at him. "Are you bloody mental? What in Merlin's most baggy Y-fronts was that for?!"

"For being a git. Now what have you been doing for the past two weeks, mate? I mean know that sometimes a man needs some alone time to 'relieve the tension', but isn't two weeks enough? Although, I must say your arm looks slightly stronger," he said, closely examining James' right hand.

"Bugger off. If you must know I've been trying to write a ruddy letter to Lily and I haven't the slightest idea of how to even begin."

"Mmm, I see. Woman problems. Well, let's see that letter she wrote to you and I'll help you from there."

"Letter? What letter?"

"The letter Lily sent you a few days ago. Hunter brought it when you were in the loo and the little rascal gave it to me," he said, pointing to James' owl, who was fast asleep in his cage. "I put it in your desk somewhere. Blimey, mate, you mean to tell me you haven't seen the letter?"

"No, I didn't bloody see it! Where exactly is it," James said, frantically looking all over his desk."

Here it is!" James hastily tore the letter open and read it.

_Dear James,_

_Well since I haven't heard from you all summer, I suppose I should make the first move! Just to show you that I really did mean it when I said we were friends. So, how has your summer been? Mine has been great. Have you heard from Alice yet? She says she's planning to invite everyone in our year to that picnic of hers—except the Slytherins, of course. Are you going? I hope you can make it. See you soon!_

_Cheers, _

_Lily_

"Alice is having a picnic before school starts? Why—"

"Seriously, mate. Don't you ever read your mail? Ali sent you this invitation inviting you to it," Sirius said, tossing the letter at James.

_James,_

_Since you refuse to come out of your room whenever I come over, I have been forced to write to you. I'm having a picnic before school starts, and I hope you can make it. No, scratch that. You had better be able to make it. A certain Lily Evans will be there, just so you know. See you soon!_

_Love,_

_Alice_

_P.S Be prepared to be hexed next time I see you. Nobody ignores Alice Lucretia Prewett and gets away with it! _

"Alice has been over?"

"Yes and so has Frank. Honestly mate, what's gotten into you lately?"

James ignored him. He excitedly grabbed for a quill and took two sheets of paper out.

_Alice,_

_Of course, I'll come! I'd be mental not to. _

_-James_

_P.S I guess that means I'll have to practice my shield. I'll be okay, just as long as you don't use the Bat-Bogey Hex! I still haven't gotten over the last time you used it._

He hastily wrote his reply to Alice, before beginning on Lily's.

_Dear Lily,_

_It's been good, I guess. I'm really glad your summer has been great. And of course I'll be there. I wouldn't miss it for a thing. And I'm sorry for the whole not writing to you thing. It's good to know I still have your friendship. I just hope you don't hex me, like Alice's threatened to do._

_See you soon, _

_James_

James finally allowed himself to relax. All he had to do know was wait.

* * *

Much to James dislike, the days passed slowly, as if they were keen on torturing him. When the day before the picnic finally arrived, James' father, Charlus, called him into his study.

"Son, I need to talk to you."

"What about, Dad?"

Charlus hesitated for a moment, and James took the opportunity to study his father. Even through the worry lines that adorned his father's face, James could see why people often remarked on how much he looked like his father. Same untidy hair, same mischievous glint in their hazel colored eyes. Except for his smile. People always said he had Dorea's charming smile, whatever that meant.

"Well son, your mother will have my head if she knows I tell you this, but I feel like you are old enough to know. James, have you heard about a certain Dark Wizard who calls himself Lord Voldemort?"

James hardened. "The one who killed Alice's father, Ignatius?"

Charlus let out a tired sigh. "Yes, son."

"Then yes, I've heard of him. He's got a set of followers that call themselves Death Eaters, hasn't he? I've heard the Slytherins talk about joining him once they get out of Hogwarts," he said coldly.

"Yes, son. But we have reason to believe that this year, there are actual Death Eaters that will be roaming Hogwarts' corridors. And I must ask you to be very careful son. I already spoke to Sirius about this. I doubt they'll try anything stupid while Dumbledore is around, but you must be on the lookout nonetheless. We suspect they will target Muggleborns. Now, I understand if you don't want to, but son—"

"You'd like me to do my best to try and protect my fellow classmates. Don't worry, Dad. I won't let you down."

"I know you won't son," said Charlus proudly, placing a hand on his son's shoulder.

James felt more determined than ever to do everything he could to protect Lily.

**A/N:** So what you guys think? Good or no? Review please? You don't even have to make a super long review. Something like 'it was awesome' or 'it sucked' will be okay. You don't even have to type too much. A simple "good" or "bad" will do. Lol


	8. Something about a Phoenix

**A/N:** Thanks to my last two reviews and all the people who keep following this story! You guys are amazing :D

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, I still don't own Harry Potter. You guys should've guessed that by now, though.

**Chapter 8:** Phoenixes and Late Nigh Secrets

"I hate cooking," declared a very dirty and very frustrated Marlene McKinnon, before collapsing onto her friend Alice's bed. Alice's room was simply decorated, but it gave off the air of elegance and beauty, much like Alice did.

"Actually, sweetie, it's called baking," Alice said sweetly, sitting down next to her.

"It doesn't matter what it's called. I still hate it."

"I agree with Marley. How am I supposed to get this bloody flour off my hair?" Emmeline whined, frowning at her reflection.

"Oh come on, girls, it was actually kind of fun," Lily said, sitting at the foot of the bed, next to Mary.

Marlene rolled her eyes at her. "Whatever. It might be fun for you, but it is most definitely not my thing. And I still don't get why we actually had to do it without using magic. I'm not keen on the whole do-it-yourself thing. I'm a witch for Merlin's sake, not a muggle."

"Yes, but you are still an underage witch," said Lucretia Prewett, in her sweet, singsong voice, standing in the doorway. "And besides, doesn't it feel good to work with your hands?" she said excitedly.

Marlene was about to give her a cheeky response, but was stopped by the look Alice gave her. Instead, she smiled sweetly at Mrs. Prewett, nodding her head.

Lucretia returned her smile, before turning to the rest of the girls. "Do you girls need anything?"

"No thanks mum. We're good," Alice responded.

"Alright then. I'll be downstairs if you need me. Don't stay up to late. We still have to set up everything for tomorrow."

"Okay, mum."

"Good night, girls."

"Good night," the girls said in unison.

After Lucretia, had left, Lily turned to Alice. "Your mum is doing so much better than last time I saw her. She's so much more full of life, much more happy. It's refreshing. She seems much more like herself."

Alice nodded thoughtfully. "Yes. After Dad died, she really wasn't herself. She was dreadfully depressed and it seemed like she was—defeated. I worried for her. Sometimes I would have to beg her to eat something, and she'd only do it reluctantly. Some days she would stay in bed all day, and she would refuse to come out, until I was forced to call on Dorea—James's mum. She was the only one who could get her to come out during those days."

"I imagine," murmured Mary sadly. "Losing your husband must be terribly painful."

"Oh, they were more than that," she said smiling. "They were soul mates. They loved each other deeply. I'd be lucky if I could find someone who loves me as much as Dad loved Mum."

"What about Frank?" Marlene teased.

Alice laughed. "I suppose so."

"So, what exactly made her change?"

"Mmm. I suppose it was after Professor Dumbledore came to visit, about a month ago. They went into my father's study and I don't know what they talked about, but I did overhear him saying something about a phoenix," Alice said, shrugging. "After that she seemed more like herself. She even started singing again."

"A phoenix?" Emmeline said, puzzled. "Well that proves it. Dumbledore is completely bonkers," she exclaimed, causing the girls to giggle.

They soon relaxed into a comfortable silence, each lost in thought.

"Wait! Mary, what was it that you wanted to tell us?" Alice asked sitting upright, breaking the silence.

"What do you mean?" she inquired.

"Well, in your last letter you said you had some news, but you refused to tell me, claiming that we all had to be here. As it so happens, we're all present."

"Oh, that."

"Yes, that. Now come on. Spit it out."

"Well, it's nothing really. Just that, you know, I've been talking to Remus over the holiday. We even went on a few dates…" She broke off, staring dreamily out the window, from where a full moon was visible.

"Oh, sweet Mary! That is just splendid! I am so happy for you!" Lily shrieked happily, hugging her friend. "Are you guys an item?"

"No, not really. Sometimes I feel like he feels guilty about something, like he feels that he is doing something wrong. And I think I know why. Do you girls think I should tell him that we know about him being a werewolf?"

Lily bit her lip, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I dunno, Mar. Maybe you should wait it out a little. If he doesn't make the first move to tell you, then perhaps you should."

"I agree with Lils. You should definitely wait. So, anyway. You said something about a date?"

"Yes. What about it, Em?"

"So, when did it happen? Oh, please do tell!"

"About a few weeks ago. Remus invited me to go shopping for our school supplies. He bought me a lovely quill and this charm bracelet," she said, holding out her hand, where a bracelet lay against her wrist. Her name was spelled out in little charms, and at the end was a heart. It was simple, yet pretty.

"Oh, Mary. It's so lovely," Lily said, smiling. The rest of the girls nodded in agreement.

Mary smiled. "I suppose so. He got it for me just outside of Diagon Alley, in a muggle shop. But enough about me. I think it's time for a proper catch-up. I've been dying to hear about you and James," she said, turning to look at Lily.

"Yeah, Lil. What happened with you and Potter?" Marlene asked, suddenly curious.

Lily let out a fake yawn. "Oh, Merlin. I'm dead tired. Aren't you? I think I'll go lay down."

"Oh, no you don't. Speak up."

"You're not going anywhere until you tell us everything, sweetie. So come on, spit it out."

"Oh, I don't know what all the fuss is about. James and I are just friends."

"Sure. Friends. Is that what we call it now? 'Friends'?" Marlene asked, smirking.

"No. We really are just friends."

"So, there is nothing romantic between you too?" asked a clearly disappointed Emmeline. She always loved a good love story.

"No, not at all. There isn't and never will be anything romantic between us."

"Never say that from these waters you shall not drink, because you'll eventually find yourself drowning in them, sweetie."

"Err—what?"

"Basically means, never say never. My mum always used to tell me that," Alice said shrugging.

"Well, then the possibility of James and I ever becoming romantic is simply impossible."

"Nothing is impossible, even the word itself says 'I'm possible'", Mary said, quoting her favorite actress, Audrey Hepburn.

"Oh, you guys are impossible! And no Mary, I don't need to hear that again."

**A/N:** So what'd you guys think? Don't worry I wont bother you guys anymore about reviewing lol I'll probably put up the next chapter sometime tonight :) And just one more chapter and then they're back to Hogwarts! (:


	9. Dress Robes and Other Rubbish

**A/N**: So I decided to break this chapter in two, since it would be way too long if I didn't. So here goes. The next chapter is a bit more exciting than this one. So enjoy! :)

Chapter9: Dress Robes and Other Rubbish

The long anticipated day had finally come, and James couldn't be happier. He quickly dressed and made his way downstairs, whistling to himself a rather happy tune. He was finally going to see Lily, after three long and agonizing months, and he was determined that nothing should damper his moods. James made his way outside, to the terrace, where his family was having breakfast.

"Good morning, dearest family," he said in a cheery tone, as soon as he had arrived.

His father grunted a hello, and made a grab for the coffee—it was well known in the Potter Manor never to try and engage Charlus in a conversation before he had his coffee, unless you were feeling a bit suicidal. Sirius was staring stupidly at the jam, his hair a wild tangled mess, mumbling unintelligibly.

Dorea was the only one who appeared to be wholly awake. "Good morning, love," his mother replied, sipping her tea. "You appear to be in a good mood today. I wonder if it has something to do with a certain Lily Evans," she said with a sly smile.

As a response, James turned a deep red, and his mother laughed gently. They ate breakfast in a comfortable silence, which was only broken by Sirius, who would occasionally nod his head, continuing his conversation with the jam. After finishing, James excused himself and made a grab for Sirius, who was now mumbling to the pumpkin juice.

"Wait," his mother interrupted him. "Before I forget, Lucretia has asked me to tell you boys to dress formally. Which means you have to wear dress robes." This was enough to cause Sirius to waken completely.

"We have to wear bloody dress robes?! Is Aunty Lu mad?!"

"Language, dear," Dorea responded, with an amused smile. "And yes, I'm afraid so. The Minister of Magic will be there, and you boys have to look presentable."

"But lovely, darling Aunty 'Rea, it's practically 34 degrees out. You cannot expect me to wear dress robes," Sirius whined.

Dorea waved her hand dismissively. "I've already asked Pinky to lay out your robes." Sirius mumbled something under his breath, and dragged himself after James. "And be sure to pack your trunks!" she called after them.

* * *

"I don't get why we have to wear bloody dress robes," mumbled a clearly annoyed Sirius, tugging at his robes, whilst admiring himself in the window of the Prewett Manor. "I mean, it's not like anyone of importance is going to be here."

"The minister'll be here," James responded absentmindedly, anxiously scanning the crowd in front of him.

"Exactly," replied Sirius with a smirk, causing James let out a snort. They made their way to the courtyard, with Charlus occasionally stopping to greet somebody from the Ministry. James noted that there where many Aurors stationed around the courtyard.

"For protection," his father said, responding to the questioning look in his eyes.

A magnificent tent soon came into view, very much like the ones used in weddings, and James laughed to himself. The Prewetts were known for the grand parties they were always hosting.

"Blimey, I thought it was only going to be a small picnic."

"It was," Dorea said with a laugh, "but you know Lucretia. She got a bit carried away."

At that precise moment, Lucretia came out to greet them, a pleased look on her face. James was very much taken aback by her expression. When he last had seen her, she had a sort of defeated air around her. But now, well, she looked as if she had found a purpose to live again.

"Aunty Lu!" James said with a grin. Although they weren't closely related, James had always thought fondly of Lucretia. Ever since he could remember, Dorea and Lucretia had been close, and she was a constant presence in his life, causing him to grow up thinking of Lucretia as an aunt, almost like a second mother.

"James, love, it's so good to see you," Lucretia said, drawing James in a warm embrace. She pulled back and studied his face. "Oh, you're growing into such a handsome young man. I've missed you all summer. Why haven't you come to visit?" she scolded gently.

James ran a nervous hand through his hair. "I was, err, caught up with some stuff."

Sirius snorted, causing Lucretia to turn her attention to him. "Sirius! How is my favourite nephew doing? Oh, sweetie, look at you! You are much more handsome than last time I saw you."

James let out a snort, which Sirius decided to ignore. "Oh, Aunty Lu you are not far behind. May I say you look rather charming this afternoon," he said with a Sirius grin—the one he used when trying to charm witches.

Lucretia laughed before turning her attention to Dorea. "Dorea, darling! You must try this new recipe one of Alice's friends, Lily, gave me," she said, leading Dorea away. The boys began making their way inside before they were stopped by Alice, who had suddenly ran outside.

"Oh, there you are!" she exclaimed with a grin on her face. Sirius opened his arms, expecting a hug from his cousin, but she simply brushed past him heading for somebody behind them. They turned around and saw who Alice was so eager to see. With two children on either side of her, and one in her arms, stood Molly Weasley. She smiled kindly at them.

"Oh, let me hold him, Molly, please." Molly laughed gently, before placing a sleeping baby into Alice's eager arms.

"Hello, sweetie. Aren't you the sweetest thing", she cooed, adopting that voice one uses when in the presence of infants. "Oh, isn't he just lovely, Lily?"

"Yes, he is," Lily said dreamily, standing next to James, which made him jump up. He had been so preoccupied with finding her, he hadn't noticed she was standing next to him. She was wearing a simple dark green, one shoulder, lace dress that stopped just above her knees, and matched perfectly with her eyes. Her hair, usually let down in a wild, curly mess, was carefully combed to one side and she was wearing little makeup.

James couldn't seem to take his eyes off her. She looked simply amazing. "I—uh—you—look—," he stammered.

"What my mate is trying to say, Lily, is that you look stunning," Sirius said with a wink.

She giggled slightly. "You don't look too bad yourself, James." She winked at him, a genuine smile playing on her lips and James felt his stomach jump.

"Alice, sweetie, could you come here a moment?" Lucretia called from inside the tent, breaking the moment.

"Coming mother," she said, reluctantly handing the child back to Molly. "I'll be right back."

"Hello, Molly it's so good to see you again," Lily said with a smile. "And it's good to see you boys too," she said, turning to Bill and Charlie, the latter of which was clinging to his mother's robes smiling shyly. "Aren't you boys handsome."

A small girl with bubble-gum pink hair came running towards them. "Wotcher, Sirius!" she exclaimed, running straight to him, throwing her small arms around him, or rather, trying to.

"How's my favourite girl? Where's your mum, Tonksies?" Sirius asked, picking up the small girl.

"Over there," she said shrugging her small shoulders. "Now put me down. I want to play with the boys," she demanded. Sirius laughed and put her down, before excusing himself. She ran off with Charlie, while Bill preferred to stay with his mother.

They all made their way inside, but where again stopped by the unpleasant voice of Muriel Prewett. "Molly, come help me will you? I am eighty six you know."

"Will you hold Percy for me, Lily? I'll be right back," she said, placing a sleeping Percy in her arms.

"Isn't he simply adorable?"

"Yes," James breathed, looking at Lily.

Lily smiled at James, and for the second time, he felt his stomach do somersaults. The small child began to get fussy, which caused Lily to panic.

"Shh, baby, it's alright," James said in a soothing voice, adopting a paternal tone. Percy gradually calmed, much to Lily's surprise. She looked at James with a strange look on her face, stuck between curiosity and thoughtfulness.

"What?" James asked feeling a bit self-conscious.

"No, nothing. It's just. Never mind."

Alice reappeared behind them followed by Molly, much to Lily's relief. She carefully placed Percy into his mother's arms, before being dragged away by Alice.

"Come on, Lily. Marlene's got something to tell us. And Remus is looking for you," she called to James over her shoulder, before disappearing into the tent.


	10. Battle of Prewett Manor

**Disclaimer: **Nope, still don't own Harry Potter. But I do own this story.

Chapter 10: Battle of Prewett Manor

"Lily!" Marlene waved a hand in front of her friend's face, forcing her out of her thoughts.

"What?" she said, rather irritated.

"What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"A better question would be, about whom. I bet it was James," Alice said with a sly smile.

"Maybe," Lily grumbled.

"Oh, tell us!"

"Nothing. I just—. I think you guys were right. Maybe there is more to James than I thought."

"No, duh. That was what we had been trying to tell you, sweetie."

Emmeline gasped. "Speak of the devil. The Marauders, plus Frank, are coming this way."

"Oh, Merlin! Does my hair look alright?"

"I thought you didn't like James," Mary said, giggling.

"I don't! I just—never mind!"

"It looks fine, sweetie."

"Stop fidgeting! Try to act normal," Marlene ordered them in a hushed tone.

"Normal? I'll give you bloody—"

"Hello, ladies," Sirius said flirtatiously, carrying out the 'o' more than he had to, grinning behind them, and causing them to fall silent.

They silently resumed their argument; they all seemed reluctant to be the first ones to speak. Finally, an exasperated Marlene gave in. "Hello, boys," she said turning around, with a flirty smile. "Care to join us?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Love to, but I was wondering if you'd give me the honour of this dance," Sirius replied, with a wink.

"Of course," she said, blushing slightly.

"Mary—"

"I'd love to, Remus," she said taking his hand.

Peter stood there awkwardly, looking at Emmeline, trying to speak, but no words were coming out. She shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, I love this song! Come on, Pete. Let's go dance."

Alice looked at James and Lily, a sly smile forming in her lips. "Come on, sweetie," she said pulling Frank along with her. "Let's go get our groove on."

Lily looked helplessly after her. James stood there, with his hands in his pocket. "Err, care to dance?" he asked, running a nervous hand through his hair.

"Sure," Lily said with a nervous laugh. He took her hand, and she felt a sudden jolt of rush through her. He led her to the dance floor, which was adorned by hundreds of floating lights, giving it a romantic feeling.

The song ended, and a slow waltz soon started playing. James nervously placed a hand on Lily's back and slowly drew her a bit closer, afraid that she might pull away. But she didn't. In fact, Lily couldn't think of any time where something just felt so natural. She felt like she could stay like this forever. She shook her head, startled by the thoughts she was having.

"Lily, I—" but whatever James was going to say, Lily didn't know, because at that precise moment masked, hooded figures started materializing in front of them. There were gasps all around them and then somebody screamed. Soon, everything turned into chaos. People were running everywhere, calling for loved ones, and Disapparating all around.

Alice soon made her way next to Lily, a frightened look on her face. "What's going on? Who are they?"

"Death eaters," James whispered coldly.

Lucretia suddenly appeared beside them. "You children have to get out of here. Run to the house and look for Libby! Ask her to take you to the Family Parlour," she cried exasperatedly, before disappearing again into the panicking crowd. Spells were now flying everywhere and one barely missed Sirius, grazing his left ear. James drew his wand and made his way after Lucretia.

"Wait! James! Where are you going?" Lily cried after him.

"To fight," James called over his shoulder. "They're bloody mental if they think I'm just going to stand around doing nothing."

"James is right," Alice said, drawing her own wand. "We've got to fight."

"Why did we have to be bloody Gryffindors," Lily said nervously, drawing her own wand. The rest soon followed suit.

"Because it is our duty to protect," Sirius said with a wink. "Come on, mates." They made their way through the thinning crowd. Mostly everyone had left, but plenty had remained to fight. They soon found James, who was duelling fervently with a wizard. Lily couldn't help but notice what a great dueller James was; he merely dodged the spells. He was a great fighter. It seemed so natural to him.

"Stupefy!" James spell hit the wizard, who had been distracted by the new arrivals, causing him to fall over unconsciously. James grinned at them, before being going off to find another wizard to duel.

Lily made her way after them, but was stopped by a hooded figure.

"Where do you think you're going, Mudblood," the hooded figure sneered. Lily froze. She recognized that voice.

"Bellatrix Black."

"I see you remember me, Mudblood," she said revealing herself. Lily was met by the maniacal grin of Bellatrix, which sent shivers running down her spine. "But it's Lestrange now. Not that it matters," she said before sending a spell flying at her. Lily blocked it just in time.

Soon, the two witches where duelling, each sending spell after spell at one another. Bellatrix simply blocked them lazily. She seemed to be taunting her.

"Is that the best you can do, Mudblood," she said, laughing maniacally, before sending another spell flying straight at her.

Lily dodged it. "No, but this is. _Everte Statum_!"

Lily's spell caught Bellatrix off-guard, and it effectively hit her. She stumbled a little, before regaining her posture. She snarled dangerously at Lily, a murderous look in her eyes.

"You'll regret that Mudblood. _Crucio_!"

A pain like nothing Lily had ever experienced, hit her. It felt like white-knives were pinching every inch of her skin; her head was surely going to burst with pain. She heard someone scream loudly, before realising that it was her. Bellatrix was laughing maniacally.

"What's wrong, Mudblood? Can't handle a little pain?", she sneered, before hitting Lily again with the Cruciatus Curse, before she even had time to react.

Lily was screaming louder this time. How much longer she could resist, she did not know. She let herself fall to the ground, begging for death, because anything was preferable to this searing pain—

And then, quite suddenly it stopped. She lay on the ground, whimpering, trying to pull herself together.

"Lily! Are you all right? "James cried anxiously, dropping to the ground next to her. He carefully lifted her up, resting her head in his arms.

"Yes. I—what happened?" she asked, slowly standing up, aided by James.

"I don't know. They just left."

"They just _left_?" Lily asked incredulously.

James nodded. He opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by Alice.

"Lily! Sweetie," she cried, pulling Lily into a tight embrace. She saw her friends over Alice's shoulders, and they pulled into one big hug.

"Are you kids alright?" a man's voice asked. Lily looked up to see somebody who closely resembled James. A small crowd of the remaining people had gathered around them. Lucretia went over to them looking extremely relieved, and hugged her daughter tightly.

"Yeah, we're okay, Dad," James replied, before being hugged tightly by a very pretty woman, Lily could only guess she was his mother.

"Oh, Jamsie! Are you alright?" she cried, causing Sirius to snort loudly. She grabbed Sirius, hugging him tightly.

"We're okay, Mum," James said, breathlessly, before breaking free of his mother's grasp. She looked greatly relieved, and blew noiselessly into a tissue.

"I was so worried about you boys," she sniffed.

Mr Potter, on the other hand, looked raging mad. "Somebody betrayed us! That's the only explanation! We had the whole place protected!"

"Now, Charlus, don't get over yourself," a familiar, gentle voice said behind them.

"Professor Dumbledore!"

"Good evening, Ms Evans," he smiled pleasantly, before turning his attention back to Charlus. "It might simply be that they found a loophole, as the muggles say."

"I don't believe that! It had to be somebody from the Ministry, and I won't rest until I find out who it was!" With a sweep of his cloak he was gone.

They all stared at the spot where he had been standing. Quite suddenly Lily, let out a small gasp. James quickly scanned his surrounding "What?" said James irritated, and a tad relieved; he had been fearing the Death Eaters had returned, or worse.

"We used magic outside of school! And we're underage! Does that mean we're ex-p-p-elled?" she stuttered nervously.

Albus chuckled gently. "Seeing as you were under attack, Ms Evans, I doubt that is the case. Now, what say we go in and have a nice cup of hot chocolate to calm our nerves, Lucretia?"

"Yes, of course, Headmaster."

As the party made their way back to the manor, Lily fell back. She began walking slowly, lost in thought. Alice started making her way to her, but was stopped by James. She nodded at him, and allowed herself to be pulled away by Frank, looking concernedly over her shoulder.

James made his way next to her, but remained quiet. Then, quite suddenly, he put his arms around her shoulder and drew her closer. Lily let her head rest against his shoulder, and let out a sigh. She could definitely get used to this.

**A/N:** So how'd I do with the dueling bits? Good? Bad? A total bore? Let me know, will you guys? Anyway, hoped you lads enjoyed it! :)


	11. Lestrange Manor

**A/N: **I know this is a Lily and James story, but without Voldemort there really wouldn't be a story to tell. So here's some hints at what is waiting for Lily and the Marauders for their 6th year. Don't worry it'll make sense soon enough...probably. lol Enjoy! Oh, and many thanks to lostangel558750 and CrescentMoon12 for reviewing!

Chapter 11: Lestrange Manor

In the edge of a dark forest, a grand manor seemed to grow out of the darkness, giving off an eerie feeling. Many dared not cross its boundaries, fearing the dangers that lay on the other side. An ever present dark shadow seemed to fall all around the grounds, giving it an everlasting sinister precense. A group of hooded figures materialized just outside of the iron wrought gates, that where brought together by a magnificent 'L.'

They acknowledged each other, before raising their left hands, as in salute, and brushed past the iron gates, as if it were nothing more than mere smoke. They walked in a slow, yet steady pace down the moonlit lane leading up to the handsome manor in front of them. The woman in front of them, who seemed to be skipping with a sort of sinister glee, threw the door open with a simple wave of her wand.

They continued down the large hall, which was dimly lit by a few candles, and with little decorations, save for a few portraits, which seemed to follow your every move, adding to the sinister feeling. They came to a stop by a great, wooden door.

"Out of my way," the woman demanded, pushing her way to the front. She stopped, letting her delicate fingers graze the bronze handle, before throwing it open.

A long, wooden table took up most of the room, and a handful of silent people sat there, waiting. Most of the room's illumination seemed to be coming from an ornate fireplace at the far end of the room, where a man sat, with his back to it. They lingered in the threshold for a moment, allowing themselves to accustom to the lack of light before entering the room.

"My Lord," the woman whispered in a hushed tone, a constricted emotion in her voice. She looked at him through those heavily lidded eyes of hers, with a sort of reverence and longing. She was an attractive woman, who knew how to use her looks to her advantage. But beneath her appearance lay a dangerous woman, who was very well capable of killing without remorse.

"Ah, Bellatrix," the man at the head of the table spoke in a cold voice. "Come, sit," he said, as he gestured to the empty seats around him. "You sit here," he said, pointing his hand at the Lestrange's, indicating them to sit on his left, "Malfoy, to my right. Dolohov, you can take a sit beside Rosier and Crabbe, next to Goyle."

He continued assigning seats and waited until they were all seated before speaking again. "So?" he said, looking at them expectantly. "May I assume that everything came out according to plan?"

Lucius Malfoy, who looked very pleased with himself at being allowed the honour to sit next to the Dark Lord, spoke up. "Yes My Lord. I have managed to persuade them to our side. We now have people inside the school." Abraxas Malfoy patted his son on the back, beaming proudly.

"As well as the support of the Giants and the werewolves, My Lord," said a young man with a long, twisted face.

"Excellent. Malfoy, Dolohov. And the matter we discussed?" he asked, turning to Rodolphus Lestrange.

"It is done, My Lord. He is now under our control."

"Good, very good. So I assume that our little plan—"

"Was successful, My Lord," Bellatrix said, uncertainly.

"And no one was killed?"

"No, My Lord. We did as you said."

"Excellent," he said, before turning to the woman sitting beside him. " Do not doubt me, Bellatrix. I know what I am doing."

"My Lord! I wouldn't dream of it!"

"Oh, but you do. Do not lie Bellatrix. Lord Voldemort knows. He always knows."

"I am deeply sorry, My Lord," Bellatrix whispered, lowering her eyes ashamedly.

"I appreciate your bloodlust, Bellatrix; it shows your loyalty to our cause—and to me. But there is a reason behind my motives," he said before turning to his followers, who looked up at him, excitedly.

"It seems that everything is coming according to plan. We must continue to taunt these Ministry people, make them think they have our every move calculated. We will attack when they least expect it. For now, we will remain hidden, attacking from the shadows. Soon, we will make ourselves fully known and there will be no witch or wizard alive who does not know of and fear Lord Voldemort!"


	12. Aboard the Hogwarts Express

**A/N: **Many thanks to my Anonymous reviewer (btw I noticed that too, after I had posted it lol) :) Here's another chapter..Enjoy!

Chapter 12: Aboard the Hogwarts Express

The next day found everyone feeling tense. Lily's temper was shorter than usual and even Mary seemed irritated by everyone—which was unusual, since Mary had always had a quiet, gentle nature. Alice looked frantically for her wand, snapping at everyone, only to find it had been in her back pocket all along. As if to make matters worse, the day was terribly humid and drab.

There was a small knock on the door. "Oh, thank Merlin," Lucretia sighed in relief. She hoped the girls' mood improved once they got to Kings Cross Station. "Girls, come down. They're here." She turned to the man standing behind her. "Is this really necessary, Charlus?" she asked nervously, indicating the three Aurors standing behind him.

"Yes. After what happened yesterday, I'm not taking any chances. I am taking all precautions necessary."

"You'd be a fool not to," a voice growled behind them. Alastor Moody looked at them impatiently. His once handsome face was now covered with several scars—scars he had earned in his never-ending fight against Dark Wizards. His rough appearance made him seem ever so intimidating. Many would find his appearance quite disturbing; Lucretia, however, seemed not to be troubled by it.

"Hello, Alastor."

He huffed at her impatiently, his magical eye whizzing around the room. "Where are these girls? What's taking them so long? Don't they know we have a schedule to keep?" he growled.

"Hullo, Mad-Eye, Uncle Charlus," Alice said with a grin, standing at the top of the stairs. Alice's father—Ignatius—had been an Auror, so typically, Alice knew most, if not all, of the Aurors, and she had always been quite fond of Mad-Eye.

"I swear, by Merlin, if that name sticks I'll curse your socks off," he growled threateningly, causing the girls to giggle. "Now, what's the hold up? Get going, the lot of you! We have a schedule to maintain!"

"Oh, what's the rush Mad-Eye? Girls, this is Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody, one of the—"

"There'll be time for introductions later!"

"Hey, Dad, what's taking so long?" asked James standing in the threshold, with the Marauders and Frank right behind him.

"Damn it boy! I thought I told you to stay in the car!"

Sirius, being Sirius, ignored Mad-eye and brushed past him. He tried to brush a hand seductively through his hair. "Hullooo, ladies," he said, grinning at them.

"That is it!" Mad-Eye grabbed Sirius gruffly by his shirt and started dragging him to the door. "Out! The lot of ya before I drag you there myself! And believe me, you won't like it!"

"Hold your hippogriffs," cried Sirius indignantly, freeing himself of Mad-Eye's grip. "There's no need to—"

"NOW!" he bellowed. The boys quickly ran out the door, followed by the girls, who were trying to muffle their laughs. "And remember CO—"

"Constant Vigilance," Alice mimicked, running past him, trying to keep a straight face.

"And you'd be damn smart to live by it!" he yelled after them.

* * *

Under Mad-Eye's supervision, it took them only five minutes to get there trunks into the Ministry of Magic cars. Now that they were sitting, everyone had time to think. As a result, the ride to Kings Cross Station was rather tense. Nobody talked much, save for a few feeble attempts by Mary to make conversation, but as each was lost in their own thoughts, she gave up. As soon as they had arrived, they all bolted from the car, happy to have reason to move about.

They quickly loaded their trunks into luggage carts, and their owls, or in Alice's case, a cat. They were quite a sight, all seventeen of them, attracting quite a few curious looks from muggle bystanders. They seemed not to notice, or at least pretended not to and continued their way to their destination. Once they got to Platform 9 ¾, they stood there awkwardly, waiting for some sort of instruction.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake!" Moody growled impatiently. "Haven't you kids every gone through barrier to get to the damn platform?"

"Well, yes, of course, but—"

"No buts! On with the lot of ya! Cross the damn barrier! Before I push you myself!"

"No need to be so aggressive, Mad-Eye," Sirius said, rolling his sleeves up. "Mind taking my stuff for me, Uncle Charlus?"

But before Charlus even had a chance to answer, Sirius was already running headfirst towards barrier, his legs and arms flailing around, like a crazed lunatic, drawing a few giggles from the girls that soon died out once they met with Mad-Eye's death glare. James went next, pushing his cart at full speed, jumping on top of it just before he went through. He was soon followed by Remus, Mary, and then the rest of the gang. The last of the group to go was Lily, whom merely leaned against it, allowing it to swallow her whole. She was met by the sound of Sirius' hysterical laughter. He was doubled over, using a very annoyed James as support, clutching his stomach.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked no one in particular, as she approached the group.

"Dunno, he can't stop laughing long enough to tell us what happened, and James refuses to do so."

"It was—so funny—he ran—lady—Aah—can't—stop," he said in between laughs.

"I believe he means that James ran into a woman because he lost control of the cart?"

"What's all this ruckus?" Mad-Eye growled from behind them, causing Sirius to quiet down instantly, trying to maintain a straight face. "Come on, what are you all waiting for? Me to hold your hand and help you board the train? Get going the lot of ya!" he ordered. They hurriedly headed to the train, Sirius doing his best not to laugh.

"Leaving without saying a proper good-by to your mum love?" came a familiar voice behind Lily, causing her to turn around rapidly.

"Mum! Dad! You're here," she cried, running to meet them. "I thought you weren't coming today."

"And miss seeing our little girl going off to school again? Wouldn't dream of it, love," her father said, smiling lovingly at her.

She smiled at her parents, but her face fell as a realisation dawned over her. "Where's Petunia, mum?"

"Oh, she couldn't make it love, she said something about having to get ready for college, but she did send her love," Rose said vaguely.

Lily nodded, feeling a bit hurt. She had hoped that now that she and Petunia were in speaking terms again, they might be able to share more things together. Like _her_ world, for example.

Somebody cleared their throat—they sounded a lot like Sirius—and she remembered that she was not alone.

"Mum, Dad, these are my friends. You already know the girls. And these are James, Sirius—"

"Enchanted to meet you, Mrs Evans. May I just say that you are simply beautiful," he said taking her hand, causing Lily to roll her eyes and Rose to laugh gently.

"Could you be less impertinent Sirius, dear," Dorea said, taking him by the ear, much to Lily's amusement.

After Lily finished the introductions, much to Mad-Eye's annoyance, they bade their parents good-by. They walked towards the train, accompanied by Charlus.

"Many people don't want me to tell you this, but I believe that you are all old enough, and very well capable of handling such information. You must be extra careful this year. There are dangers that are threatening Hogwarts. And not just outside forces. We have enough reason to believe that they have found ways to penetrate the castle walls. You must be on the constant lookout. Remember, like Mad-Eye always says—"

"Constant vigilance," Alice said, although this time there was no trace of humour in her voice.

"Rightly so. Now everyone on-board!" he said, helping them lift their trunks onto the train. "Have a safe year!" he yelled after them as the Hogwarts Express started moving. They stood by the window, waving frantically at their parents, watching them grow smaller and smaller.

"Oh, I hope this year is better than last year," Lily said, taking the only seat available in the crowded compartment, which happened to be the one across from James.

James nodded absentmindedly, and the group soon started talking about nothing in particular. They had just started discussing the topic of food when their compartment door flew open. The Marauders, except Remus, stood up quickly, retrieving their wands.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Mudbloods and the Mudblood lovers. I see you are all still alive," sneered Mulciber, a foul looking Slytherin sixth-year.

"Not for long," came the cold voice of Avery, another Slytherin sixth-year. Lily's eyes fell on Snape, who was standing behind the two boys, staring at the floor, as if it had suddenly become quite interesting. "I'd watch my back if I were you, dunlickers. Not that I'd ever associate with such filth."

"You've got some nerve, you spineless git," James said coldly, pointing his wand at Avery.

"No James! We mustn't fight," Lily said, taking up her role as a Prefect. She turned to the trio standing in front of them. "And as for you, you are just a bunch of foul, pathetic, gruesome, arses," she said coldly. "Leave before—"

"I'm not taking any orders from a Mud—"

"But you will from a Headboy," Amos Diggory said behind them. "Get out of here, before I write you up."

The trio glared at Diggory before retreating. "This isn't over yet Mudblood!" Avery yelled as he left their compartment.

"Everything alright?"

"Yes, Amos, thank you."

He nodded at them before making his way down the train. Lily and the Marauders headed back to their seats. Their recent confrontation, added to the fact that they were all starving, made things a little more than tense. There was an uncomfortable silence, broken only by the sound of somebody's stomach growling.

"I'm hungry," Peter said meekly.

"Wormtail, your _always_ hungry." At that precise moment they heard the trolley lady making her way towards their compartment.

"Anything from the trolley, dearies?", the squat little witch asked.

"Oh, thank Merlin!" Sirius exclaimed. "I'll take one of each."

They all spent their money eagerly, not caring that in a few hours they would be engorging themselves in the Start-of-the-Year Feast. Packages of Chocolate Frogs, Liquorice Wands, and Cauldron Cakes were strewn about the compartment. With their stomachs full, they were able to relax. The closer they seemed to be getting to Hogwarts, the brighter their moods. Despite everything Charlus had said, Lily couldn't help but feel safe once she caught a glimpse of the beloved castle. At last, she was home again.


	13. StartOfTheYearFeast

**A/N: **I have no clue if anyone is even reading this story, but if their is someone, then sorry for taking so long to update! I had a writer's block-apart from tedious homework. So I hope you guys enjoy it!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter. If I did, I would've made myself a character and married Sirius Black. And I wouldn't have killed him! -_- I would've killed Mundungus Fletcher instead. I never liked the little git. lol

Chapter 13: Start-Of-The-Year-Feast

"I hope Dumbledore doesn't feel the need to indulge us in one of his, oh so exciting speeches. I'm starving."

"Don't you ever think of anything other than food, Padfoot?"

"Well, now that—"

"Are those Aurors?"

The group turned their attention to where Alice was pointing. Standing around the castle grounds where at least ten Aurors, all looking rather alert, while some of them inspected the carriages.

"Blimey! I wonder what they're doing here?"

"Dunno, Dad didn't tell me anything about it. I'll owl him later," James muttered, lost in thought.

"I suppose Dumbledore thought it necessary to add more protection to the castle?" Lily said uncertainly.

"Yeah, probably."

As they approached the Aurors, Lily started twirling her hair—something she always did when she was nervous. She had just proceeded to chewing her hair, when Alice, who had always found this particular tick of hers annoying, snapped.

"Will you stop it!"

"I'm sorry, but I can't help it!" Lily whispered back, furiously.

"Well, you're obviously not trying hard enough!"

Lily opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by Emmeline. She looked at Emmeline indignantly.

"Don't you dare shush me! Didn't you—"

"I meant, shush it both of you. We're next."

The girls instantly abandoned their arguing and tried their best to appear calm. As the carriage gave a lurch forward, Lily proceeded to bite her nails instead, much to Alice's annoyance, but she decided for rolling her eyes at her instead of lecturing her.

"Well, if it isn't the Marauders," an amused voice said, stepping out from the shadows.

"Jared Lee! Blimey I haven't seen you since you graduated from Hogwarts, what was it? Three years ago? How've you been mate?"

A tall, young, and extremely handsome wizard, with curly black hair that, fell past his stunning blue eyes, grinned at James. The girls exchanged a look. _He's hot_, Marlene mouthed, grinning widely. Lily turned her attention back to Jared. He certainly was good looking. He had an air of charisma around him that Lily found a bit appealing. Jared noticed Lily looking at him, and he smiled. Lily felt herself blushing and quickly looked away.

"Can't complain mate. From the looks of it, things are going pretty good for you. Aren't you going to present me to these lovely ladies?" he said, not taking his eyes off Lily. From the corner of her eye, she could see James fidgeting uncomfortably.

"Uh, well, this is Alice, Emmeline, Marlene, that over there is Mary, and at the far right is Lily. Girls this is Jared Lee. He was a Gryffindor at Hogwarts a few years ago."

"Enchanted to meet you ladies. You probably don't remember me. I wasn't as tall, toned, or handsome as I am now," he joked, grinning widely. "This is my partner, Thomas Kirby," he said motioning to the wizard standing next to him. He was a few inches shorter than he was, and equally handsome, with short, black hair and dark, brown eyes. While Jared seemed charismatic, Thomas seemed more reserved and had an air of mystery around him that made Lily a bit uneasy. He merely nodded their head at them. "Don't mind him. He takes his job a bit too serious. Don't you Kirby? Well, you guys are clean," he said stepping aside to let them through. "See you guys around," he smiled, winking at Lily.

Lily felt herself go even redder, causing the girls to break into giggles.

"What was that about?"

"I dunno," she said sheepishly.

"Ahem, I—uh—we're here," James mumbled uncomfortably. He jumped out of the carriage and hurried toward the Entrance Hall, hands in his pocket, without glancing back.

Lily frowned after him. "What's wrong with him?"

"Oh, please. Sweetie, he's jealous," Alice said grinning at Lily, causing her to turn even redder.

They made their way after James, walking at a brisk pace, eager to cross the great, wooden doors into the safety of the castle, feeling greatly relieved as soon as they entered the Great Hall. They made their way to their usual spot at the Gryffindor table, stopping along the way to greet fellow classmates. Lily took a seat next to James, causing Marlene to grin widely. Lily ignored her and turned her attention to James, who had his hand on his cheek, lost deep in thought.

"Are you ok, James?" Lily asked, tentatively.

"Yeah, just thinking," he said, running a nervous hand through his hand and smiling at Lily. She felt her stomach give a lurch and her heart flutter. She returned his smile, and their eyes locked. She looked into his hazel eyes, and felt herself getting lost in them. She shook her head quickly, snapping herself out of it, and looked away. Alice, who had been watching the whole exchange, gave Lily a sly smile, and winked at her.

Lily looked away, blushing furiously. Professor McGonagall chose that moment to walk in. She placed the stool she was carrying on the floor, and placed the Sorting Hat on top of it.

"Now students, quiet down. The Sorting Ceremony is about to start. I think that by this point, you should all know to be gracious and welcoming to your new classmates. Any disruptions, and the consequences will be severe," the stern witch said, glaring at them, as if she half expected them to misbehave.

"Oh, come off it Minnie! It's our first day back! Relax!"

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr Black. I'm surprised. It's your first day back and already you are losing your House points. Such a shame. Anyone else? No? Let's get started." She walked back out to the Entrance Hall.

Remus took the opportunity to smack Sirius in the head.

"Ow! What in the bloody hell was that for?", he cried indignantly, rubbing his head.

"For being a bloody git, that's what," James responded, reaching over Lily to smack Sirius. Professor McGonagall walked into the Great Hall, followed by scared looking First Years, causing Sirius to refrain from telling James and Remus something that would surely have cost him another five points, and opted for scowling at them instead.

Lily rolled her eyes at them, smiling. She turned her attention back to the first years. The hat opened its mouth, causing the first years to jump. She smiled, remembering _her_ Sorting Ceremony. She really had come a long way. She looked on eagerly to the Sorting Hat, waiting to hear what it had to say. The Sorting Hat's song had always been her favourite part of the ceremony.

_In times of old, when I was new,_

_And Hogwarts barely started,_

_The founders of our noble school_

_Thought never to be parted._

_United by a common goal,_

_They had the self-same yearning_

_To make the world's best magic school_

_And pass along their learning._

_"Together we will build and teach"_

_The four good friends decided._

_And never did they dream that they_

_Might someday be divided._

_For were there such friends anywhere_

_As Slytherin and Gryffindor?_

_Unless it was the second pair_

_Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw,_

_So how could it have gone so wrong?_

_How could such friendships fail?_

_Why, I was there, so I can tell_

_The whole sad, sorry tale._

_Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those_

_Whose ancestry's purest."_

_Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose_

_Intelligence is surest."_

_Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those_

_With brave deeds to their name."_

_Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot_

_And treat them just the same."_

_These differences caused little strife_

_When first they came to light._

_For each of the four founders had_

_A house in which they might_

_Take only those they wanted, so,_

_For instance, Slytherin_

_Took only pure-blood wizards_

_Of great cunning just like him._

_And only those of sharpest mind_

_Were taught by Ravenclaw_

_While the bravest and the boldest_

_Went to daring Gryffindor._

_Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest_

_and taught them all she knew,_

_Thus, the houses and their founders_

_Maintained friendships firm and true._

_So Hogwarts worked in harmony_

_for several happy years,_

_but then discord crept among us_

_feeding on our faults and fears._

_The Houses that, like pillars four_

_had once held up our school_

_now turned upon each other and_

_divided, sought to rule._

_And for a while it seemed the school_

_must meet an early end._

_what with duelling and with fighting_

_and the clash of friend on friend._

_And at last there came a morning_

_when old Slytherin departed_

_and though the fighting then died out_

_he left us quite downhearted._

_And never since the founders four_

_were whittled down to three_

_have the Houses been united_

_as they once were meant to be._

_And now the Sorting Hat is here_

_and you all know the score:_

_I sort you into Houses_

_because that is what I'm for._

_But this year I'll go further,_

_listen closely to my song:_

_though condemned I am to split you_

_still I worry that it's wrong,_

_Though I must fulfil my duty_

_and must quarter every year_

_still I wonder whether sorting_

_may not bring the end I fear._

_Oh, know the perils, read the signs,_

_the warning history shows,_

_for our Hogwarts is in danger_

_from external, deadly foes_

_And we must unite inside her_

_or we'll crumble from within_

_I have told you, I have warned you..._

_let the Sorting now begin._

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. Lily frowned, thinking about what the hat had said. Her thoughts were interrupted, however, by the sound of Professor McGonagall's voice.

"Now, when I call your name, you will sit on the stool and be sorted," she said unrolling a long roll of parchment.

Sirius groaned besides her, and Lily playfully smacked him on the arm. "Be quiet. If you lose us anymore points, I swear I'll hex you," she whispered to him. Sirius rolled his eyes and smirked at her.

"Adams, Evelyn." A pretty, petite girl, with light auburn hair that fell past her shoulders made her way to the stool. She smiled confidently as she placed the Sorting Hat on. A few seconds later and—

"Ravenclaw!" The second table to their left cheered loudly and clapped, as Evelyn merrily skipped her way towards them. "Anderson, Erica" soon joined Evelyn at the Ravenclaw table.

"Baker, Harrison." A small boy, with soft, honey coloured eyes and untidy black, curly hair stumbled out of the line. He nervously made his towards the stool.

"Gryffindor!" It was Gryffindor's turn to cheer. Next to her, Sirius yelled gleefully, causing Lily to cover her ears, laughing. She noticed the small boy rushing to their table, and she stood to greet him. "Hullo, Harrison. I'm Lily Evans" she smiled. Sirius pushed her out of the way and shook the young boys hand enthusiastically.

"Harrison, m'boy. Sirius Black. Pleasure to meet you. Welcome. Excellent choice. Splendid to have you as a fellow Gryffindor!"

Lily placed her head in her hand, and shook her head, sighing. "Don't mind him," she said, smiling kindly. Harrison laughed shyly, before taking the empty seat next to them. She quickly followed suit and turned her attention back to the ceremony.

"Blair, Ronald" soon became a Ravenclaw. "Brooks, Emily" became the first Hufflepuff, while "Bullstorde, Blake" a blonde haired boy, joined the Slytherins. "Douglas, Albert", a round-faced boy with sandy hair became a Gryffindor.

Professor McGonagall went down the list, checking off names. Soon, "Grey, Meredith" joined the Ravenclaws, while her twin brother, "Grey, Antony" joined the cheering crowd of Gryffindors. Only a handful of First Years were left. "McKenzie, Rupert" joined the Hufflepuffs, while "Patterson, Amy" joined the Gryffindors, followed by "Robertson, Emma" and "Stone, Abigail" who joined the Ravenclaws.

Lily could see Sirius frowning impatiently at McGonagall. "Watson, Ginnifer" soon became a Hufflepuff, leaving only one student to be sorted. "Wilson, Robert" a tall, black haired boy soon joined the Slytherins. Professor McGonagall rolled the parchment and made her way out of the Great Hall, much to Sirius' liking. Professor Dumbledore got to his feet, causing Sirius to groan.

"Good evening, students! To our new students, Welcome to Hogwarts! May you find your stay here pleasurable," he said beaming at them through his half-moon spectacles, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there. "To our old students, Welcome back to a new year at Hogwarts! Now, I always say there is such a time for a speech. But now is not the time. Tuck in!"

"Finally!" Sirius cried, raising his hands to the heavens. He started piling his plate with food, until it resembled a small mountain.

"Are you going to eat all that?" Marlene asked.

"Yeb," Sirius answered, his mouth full of food.

"Boys are such pigs," Emmeline said, disgusted. Sirius merely shrugged before gulping his food down with pumpkin juice. Soon the entire Great Hall was full of noise and excitement. Lily turned her attention to the small boy sitting next to James.

"So, Harrison. Are you the first of your family to come to Hogwarts?"

"No. I'm half-and-half. My mum was a witch-she came to Hogwarts and she was a Ravenclaw. My dad, he's a muggle and, well I don't see him often. I live with my Great-Aunt Eunice. She's a witch too and my only family."

"Well, mate," James said, slapping his back, "you've come to the right place. We're your new family now."

Harrison smiled at him. "Call me Harry. Mum used to call me Harrison only when I was in trouble—which was most of the time," he said sheepishly.

"Well, Harry. I'll give you the run-down, mate. As you know, I'm Sirius Black—the handsome one of the group. That there is James Potter—my loyal sidekick. Chubby over there is Peter Pettigrew and the blonde next to him is Mary MacDonald. The bloke sitting over there with his nose stuck in his book is Remus Lupin—he's a prefect and a pain in the arse. The black haired girl across from me is the lovely Marlene McKinnon, and that there is Alice Prewett—don't make her mad, she can throw a killer Bat-Bogey Hex. Next to her is her boyfriend Frank Longbottom. The one with pretty brown eyes is Emmeline Vance. And you already met the lovely Lily Evans—just be careful with her. She's feisty, that one. She can hex your socks off in a blink of an eye."

"Only from people who irritate me. You're okay, Harry. Just keep away from the Marauders. They'll corrupt you." Lily said, smirking at Sirius. They kept eating, chatting merrily, with the occasional argument between Remus and Sirius, concerning his eating habits. When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as if they hadn't just been used. A moment later the desserts appeared. Sirius helped himself to one of each.

"Mate, if you keep eating that much, we're going to have to roll you to bed."

"Sod off, Prongs."

"Prongs?"

"Oh, it's just some dumb nicknames they gave each other. Sirius is Padfoot, James is Prongs, Peter is Wormtail and Remus is Moony."

"It is not dumb!" Sirius cried indignantly. "I reckon you're just jealous because you don't have one. But don't worry, Harry. I reckon you're Marauder-ish enough to deserve one." He rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. "How about Poodle!"

"Oh, how original."

"Like you could do better!"

"Now that you mention it, I can. How about—"

"Foozie!" Mary blurted out.

"Err—sorry?" Lily said, giggling.

"It's a character from a Muggle Show my little sister is fond of," Mary mumbled sheepishly.

Alice laughed. "I like it. It's short and cute. Just like Harry."

The desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahem—just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. First, I would like to ask you all to join me in welcoming this year's new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Hart."

The hall broke out in applause. A petite witch with long, greying hair, tied in a bun, stood up, smiling at them. As the applause died down, Professor Dumbledore continued.

"I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils, that is why it is called the Forbidden Forest. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the of the Marauders.

Sirius grinned at the Headmaster. "Sorry, Professor. No promises."

Dumbledore chuckled to himself before continuing.

"I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to kindly remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. Let's see what else. Ah, yes. As many of you may have noticed, we have guests this year. The Minister of Magic has felt the need to provide our school with extra protection. I assume we will all do our best to make them feel welcome, won't we? Now to bed. Off you trot!"

"First years after me!" fifth-year prefect, Mallory Sanders, a short freckled face girl. yelled, motioning for the first years to follow her. Harry stood up and followed her out of the Great Hall.

"Oh, thank Merlin we don't have first year duties, this year. They are absolute hell," Lily said, laughing.

James stood up, stretching. "I reckon we should go to bed?"

"Yeah, I suppose so." They stood up, making their way out of the Great Hall, joining the chattering crowds.

"Oy!" A familiar voice behind them made them turn. Alfonso "Fonzie" Thompson, a tall handsome Ravenclaw made his way toward them. James scowled. Ever since their first year, Fonzie had had a crush on Lily, something the whole school knew about. But his feelings were not returned, something everyone but Fonzie knew. Or maybe he did know he just pretended otherwise.

"Hullo, Lily. How was your summer?"

"Pleasant, I suppose," she said uncomfortably.

"More than pleasant, I reckon. You've been all over the Sunday Prophet."

"Err—what?"

"Yeah, take a look," he said thrusting the newspaper at Lily. A couple of his friends called him over, much to James' relief. "See you around Lily."

When he had left, the group eagerly stood around Lily. She opened the newspaper and a picture of them at Prewett Manor met her eyes, under the headline of _Terror at Prewett Manor: The Aftermath._

"Blimey! How do you suppose they even got this picture?"

"Don't ever underestimate the skill of some journalists," James said chuckling. They turned their attention back to the Sunday Prophet, eager to read what it had to say.

_Minister of Magic, Lorcan McLaird, called a press conference soon after the events at Prewett Manor took place. For those of you who are yet unaware of the latest news to hit the wizarding world, an attack was staged at none other than the home of the renowned late-wizard Ignatius, and his wife, Lucretia Prewett. "We have reason to believe that these attacks were ordered by none other than a wizard who makes himself known as Lord Voldemort, and his league of followers, the Death Eaters," he stated. Luckily, ten Gryffindor sixth years, along with skilled Aurors, where there to save the day. As they are underage, their names cannot be released. However, on the attacks, Head Auror, Charlus Potter only had this to say: "The attacks are under investigation at this moment, so no information can be released to the public at this time. All I can say is that we are dealing with a very dangerous wizard. I urge the public to remain calm, but alert." When asked if he was still planning to retire, he simply responded by saying, "I will retire only when the wizarding world no longer needs me." Any advice on the current situation, may I ask? "Only to remain alert." After much hesitation, he added, "I also encourage you to cast protective spells around unsuspecting muggles, if you can." As for the muggles who keep disappearing? "We are dealing with a crisis. But we, at the Auror Department, are working very hard to keep the situation under control. Again, I must urge you to remain alert." And with that, I leave you. But not after repeating Charlus Potter's wise words: at times like this it is better to remain alert. We are dealing with a dangerous wizard indeed. _

Alice let out a sigh. "Well, at least the Daily Prophet has got that right." There were a few tense laughs around her. "I guess we better get going to bed."

The small group of Gryffindors made their way up through the partially deserted marble staircase. They stopped only when they arrived at the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Does anybody know the bloody password?"

"Ex Astris Scientia."

The portrait swung open, and they all climbed inside. After bidding each other a goodnight, the group went their separate ways. Too tired to even think, the girls climbed into bed without their usual night routine.

Lily lay awake for a while turning around in her head the days' events. _What's next_, she thought to herself, before falling into a deep sleep, filled with strange dreams. She dreamt a hooded figure was chasing her through the Forbidden Forest, who then turned out to be Snape, who then transformed into a giant, frightening looking snake. Just as it was about to strangle her, James came to her rescue, lifting her into a broomstick. The two shared a kiss, before Lily lost her grip on the broomstick and went spiralling down towards the ground. She woke with a start, relieved to be in her dormitory. She sighed and rolled over instantly falling asleep.

**A/N:** So what did you guys think? I'm starting to think i shouldn't update until I have at least three reviews. I mean is it that much to ask? Lol Im just bluffing :p


	14. First Day Back

**A/N:** Thanks so much for the reviews guys! It really does mean a lot to me :) I hope you guys like this chapter-I spent the whole day finishing it up. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I am not J.K Rowling, nor have I ever been. If I were, Dobby would've NEVER died!

Chapter 14: First Day Back

The next morning everything was pure chaos. Having overslept, the girls were frantically running around their dormitory, making a mess everywhere, shouting at each other.

"Will you get out of the bloody loo?! It's been fifteen minutes already! I need to pee!" Marlene yelled, pounding on the lavatory door.

"Could you be a little more civilized and STOP YELLING!" Alice screeched, frantically looking for her shoes in her trunk, throwing everything out in the process.

"Fine," Marlene said through gritted teeth, adopting a fake, sweet tone. "Would you kindly get out of there, Lily? I desperately need to use the BLOODY TOILET!"

Lily threw the door open, filling the room with the smell of her tangy, jasmine-scented shampoo. "Will you stop rushing me?! I still haven't finished doing my hair."

"You're doing your hair?!" Marlene screeched. "You can do it out here!"

"Well maybe if you stopped rushing me, I'd have gotten out faster," she snapped. "Alice, would you stop making a mess?! Your shoes are under the bed!"

Alice glared at them both, before reaching under the bed for her shoes. After ten minutes of incessant shouting, the girls hurriedly made their way down the stairs, and out onto the corridors.

"What time is it?"

"I would say about 8:40." The girls visibly relaxed. They still had twenty minutes to eat breakfast before their first class began. They made their way into the Great Hall, before heading towards their usual spots at the Gryffindor table. They spotted Harrison sitting with two first years and waved at him.

"Were are the boys? They should be here, shouldn't they?" Lily asked, taking a seat beside Emmeline.

"Boys? I believe you meant to ask for James' whereabouts," Mary responded with a grin, causing Lily to blush.

"I did not," she muttered.

"Sorry sweetie, but you'll have to be more convincing than that."

"Good-morning beautiful people of Hogwarts!" Sirius bellowed from the doors of the Great Hall, grinning happily, causing the girls to turn, as well as most of the school. "And to the not so beautiful also," he added, pointing towards the Slytherins, making a few of the girls giggle girlishly. After all, Sirius Black was the most sought out guy of the whole school. He walked over to the Gryffindor table, ignoring the longing looks of half of the girl population, and plopped down next to Marlene. James rolled his eyes, before smiling at Lily. She held her breath as he sat down next to her.

"Will you quiet down?" Remus sighed, as he took a seat beside Mary.

"No I will most certainly not quiet down, Moony!"

"Some of us haven't even had our morning coffees yet, so kindly refrain yourself from shouting like a maniac, Mr Black," Professor McGonagall said as she made her way down from the staff table.

"Oh, Minnie. Just because I love you."

Professor McGonagall rolled her eyes, before handing out the timetables. She turned to Sirius first.

"Now Mr Black," she said, examining the application she was holding. "You're cleared for Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Care of Magical Creatures, and Herbology. I'm impressed," she said, before handing the schedule to a grinning Sirius.

"Charms, Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology. all cleared. Excellent marks, by the way Ms Evans; here you go."

Remus was immediately cleared to continue with Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Herbology, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Potions. Frank was cleared to continue in D. , Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, and Ancient Runes, as was Alice. Mary and Marlene were both cleared to continue with D.A.D.A, Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. After much consultation, Peter was cleared to continue with D.A.D.A, Transfiguration, Herbology, Charms, and Care of Magical Creatures, as well as Potions—he had only passed it after Lily took pity on him and helped him study.

"Let's see, Potter. Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Transfiguration, all passed with an 'Outstanding'. I must say, I was pleased with your Transfiguration mark, Potter, very pleased. But I didn't expect anything less. Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms and Potions are fine also. Do those classes sound okay to you?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Very well, here you go," she said, handing him his schedule.

Finally, only Emmeline was left. She was soon cleared for D.A.D.A, Herbology, Transfiguration, Potions, Ancient Runes and Charms. After thinking it over, she finally decided to continue with Arithmancy.

"Very well. I assume you all are still determined to become Aurors after graduation?"

"Yes, Professor," they responded in unison, sounding determined, except Mary who was looking forward to becoming a Healer, and Peter who look more scared than anything.

The stern witch stood there, staring at each of them. She looked like she was on the verge of telling them something before walking away.

"What class do we have first?" Emmeline asked, reaching for a bowl of Pixie Puffs.

"Transfiguration."

"Great. We all have that class together."

Sirius swore loudly under his breath, causing Remus to frown at him.

"What?"

"Look," he said pointing to his schedule. "We have Double Potions. I bet you we're going to have that bloody Snape in our class. Great, two hours with that slimy git."

Lily groaned.

"What? I thought you liked Potions." After he said it, a look of realisation washed over James' face.

"I do. It's just—never mind. At least we have a free period after lunch."

At that moment, hundreds of owls flew into the Great Hall, signalling the arrival of the mail. Athie flew in and perched herself on Lily's shoulder, gently nibbling her ear. She turned to James, who had received the _Daily Prophet_. They all gathered anxiously around him.

"Does it say anything new about—You-Know-Who," Mary whispered as a few Slytherins made their way past their table.

"No. Just the usual. Although there does seem to be a decline in Muggle disappearances," James said, uneasily.

Lily anxiously scanned the list of the disappeared Muggles. Ever since the start of Voldemort's reign of terror a few years back, Lily had spent endless time scanning the daily list of disappearances—it seemed almost like a morbid routine. A few surnames jumped out at her, and she wondered anxiously if it had been anybody she knew. After she confirmed that her neither her parents nor her sister had made the list, she relaxed a little.

"Why do you suppose that's so?"

"I dunno."

"Well I suppose we should leave now," Remus said, standing up.

The Gryffindors followed suit. Sirius grabbed a few rolls and stuffed them inside his knapsack, before grabbing another piece of toast and rushing after them.

"What? I get hungry," he said defensively after noticing Marlene's questioning look.

"Hullo Harry! Where you off to?" James asked as they approached the small, curly-haired boy.

"Charms," he responded, checking his schedule.

"That's on the third floor on the Charms Corridor, Classroom 2E."

"Thanks!" he said happily before taking off with the other two first years in tow.

They made their way out of the Great Hall and out into the courtyard, towards Classroom 1B, where the Transfiguration class was located. James and Lily fell back from the rest of the group.

"Are you okay?" James asked, noticing the worried look on Lily's face.

"Yes," she said, smiling at him. "It's just—I'm worried about my parents."

James threw his arm around her shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. "They'll be okay," he said smiling, making a mental note to write to his father later and ask him to put protection around their house. Upon seeing his smile, Lily instantly relaxed. It was a warm smile, like the first breath of spring after a cold winter and bright like the summer sun.

"Good-morning Gryffindors! Fine morning today, isn't it? What class are you headed to?" Jared asked, walking towards them. Lily could feel James tense beside her.

"Transfiguration."

"Ah, one of my favourite classes when I was a student. Have fun," he said, smiling at them, his eyes lingering on Lily before walking away.

They finally arrived at Classroom 1B and joined the small crowd of sixth years that were standing there. There were four Ravenclaws, two Hufflepuffs, and four Slytherins—including Snape. They stood around, waiting for Professor McGonagall to arrive. The halls were becoming more deserted, as students rushed to their classes.

"Hullo, James," Suzanne Lawrence, a black-haired and extremely pretty, Ravenclaw fifth-year smiled, giving him a flirty look. At that moment, Professor McGonagall arrived, and with a lazy flick of her wand, she opened the door, allowing the students in.

James turned his attention away from Lily to wave at the fifth-year. Lily angrily pushed past him, but James didn't notice. When he turned his attention back to her, he was surprised to find her missing.

"Where'd she go?"

The girls laughed at him, shaking their heads.

"What?" he said, clearly irritated, making Sirius bark out in laughter.

"Well, mate, let's just say, you are a wanker. Yeah that's it—a total wanker," he said, smirking, making Remus snigger.

"What is so bloody funny?"

"Nothing mate. The less said the better," he laughed before walking away from him to take a seat beside Mary. James was left standing alone. He decided to take the empty seat beside Lily. As soon as he sat down, she crossed her arms and turned her head away from him, making him even more confused.

"Welcome to the N.E.W.T level Transfiguration class. In this class we will be learning Conjuration, Human Transfiguration, as well as expanding our knowledge of Cross-Species Transfiguration, and practising Nonverbal spells. Now, for this presentation, I need a volunteer. Anyone?" she said scanning the class, her eyes resting on Sirius, who was busy whispering to Marlene. "Yes, you Mr Black. Thank you for kindly volunteering. Please stand up in the front of the classroom."

Sirius walked to the front of the classroom, grinning widely. With a wave of her wand, Professor McGonagall transfigured Sirius into a small, fluttering bird. A few "Aaw's" escaped from the girls, before turning him back with another wave of her wand.

"Oh, Professor, you should've left him like that. He was much more adorable."

Professor McGonagall looked like she was about to smile, before continuing. "That is called Human Transfiguration. We will be starting small for now. For today's class, we will be attempting a simple Conjuration spell _nonverbally_. Now if you will all take out your wands."

After the class had whipped out their wands, Professor McGonagall continued. "Now, I know you all will remember this spell from your first year. We will be attempting to turn these mice," she said, handing them out, "into water goblets. As you remember, the incantation for this spell is _Vera Verto_. Any question? You may begin."

After their first few attempts, the Marauders had successfully turned their mice into goblets, much to Professor McGonagall's pleasure. Lily looked around the room and noticed that apart from the Marauders, she was not the only one struggling. Many of them looked like if they were severely constipated, given the look of extreme concentration on their faces. After a few failed attempts, she turned to James.

"How do you do it?" she asked, tentatively.

"Oh, it's easy, really. Just clear your mind of everything and concentrate on the incantation. Like this," he said. His eyes went blank as he cleared his mind. He tapped his wand thrice, pointed it at the small rodent and successfully turned it into an ornate goblet. "Now your turn," he said smiling.

Lily did as he instructed but nothing happened.

"You have to be more confident. You can do it. You're a brilliant witch. Remember concentrate."

Lily sighed. She cleared her head until the only thing on her mind was the incantation. After three taps of her wand—"I did it!" she said grinning happily, throwing her arms around him. "Thank you, James!" She quickly broke the hug, blushing furiously.

Professor McGonagall walked past their table and nodded approvingly.

"Well done, Ms Evans."

After forty-five minutes, only Lily and the Marauders had been able to perform to the exercise successfully, and Alice had been the only one that had been able to do it partially correct—hers still had whiskers.

"For homework, I want a ten-inch essay describing the differences between Human Transfiguration and Trans-Species Transformation, due no later than next Thursday," Professor McGonagall said as she dismissed them, causing Sirius to groan. "I would advise against that, unless you want it to be a fifteen-inch essay, Mr Black."

"I love that woman, but sometimes she can be a total—" Sirius said, calling Professor McGonagall something that made Lily smack him and Remus scowl at him.

The group broke apart, heading for their Ancient Runes class or in the case of Sirius, Peter, Mary and Marlene, to enjoy their free periods.

After an hour in that class, the group was dismissed again, all of them looking irritated an miserable. They joined the happy quartet, heading for their Care of Magical Creatures class.

"What is wrong with you guys?"

"We got so much homework for Runes," Lily said miserably. "We've got to do a fifteen-inch essay, two translations, and read all these bloody books by tomorrow!" she said, pointing to the armful of heavy books she was attempting to put into her knapsack, which she had magically enlarged.

"Well, I had a pleasant hour out in the sun," Sirius said laughing, causing Lily to glare at him as they approached Professor Kettleburn's class—composed of nine Gryffindors, three Hufflepuffs and five Ravenclaws. Lily waved at Hestia Jones, a black-haired, sassy Ravenclaw.

"Hey, Lils. How was your summer?"

"Good and yours?"

"Can't complain," she grinned.

"Come in class," he motioned them in eagerly. "I have a special treat for you today," he said after the class had been seated. "Now, before we begin, this year, we will be studying XXXX Creatures, as classified by the ministry. Now does anyone know why they are classified as so?" Lily's hand shot up in the air. "Yes, Ms Evans?"

"The Ministry classifies these creatures as such, either because they are dangerous, require special knowledge, or simply because only trained wizards should handle them. This classification can also include creatures that are endangered or just too difficult to captivate, rather than being dangerous."

"Very good, Ms Evans. Ten points for Gryffindor. Now can anyone tell me what this is?" Professor Kettleburn gleefully asked as he took the cover off a cage that had been standing behind his desk. There were a few gasps from the class.

A large swan-sized, beautiful, scarlet bird with red and gold plumage, as well as a golden beak and talons, black eyes, and a tail as long as a peacock's, sat in the cage. Professor Kettleburn opened it and the magnificent bird flew out and perched itself on the desk.

"Is that—?"

"I believe it is."

"That's a phoenix, isn't it Professor?"

"Precisely, Mr Pettigrew. And not just any phoenix. This phoenix belongs to none other than our very own Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore. He was kind enough to allow Fawkes to come as our guest for today's class," he said as the class stared at it admiringly. "Now, even though they are gentle creatures, they are classified as being XXXX Creatures. Does anyone know why that is so?" Again, Lily's hand shot up.

"It is due to the fact that very few wizards have been successful in domesticating it, Professor. However, despite its classification the phoenix is not an aggressive creature. Rather, it is found to be extremely sentient. On the rare occasion that a wizard is successful in domesticating it, they will find the phoenix to be extremely loyal."

"Excellent, Ms Evans. Another five points for Gryffindor. Now, if everyone would please take out a clean piece of parchment and jot down these notes."

They spent the rest of the class writing down notes and discussing the many abilities of the magnificent bird.

"Now, for homework, I would like half a parchment on the abilities possessed by phoenixes, such as the ones we discussed today, due by tomorrow if you please. You are dismissed."

The class filed out, relieved to have a break. Since the day was nice and warm, they headed toward the beech tree beside the Black Lake. While the group decided to dangle their feet in the cool water, Lily sat in the tree's shade and set to work on the easiest of her assignments, Professor Kettleburn's paper.

"Oh, come on Lily. Have some fun, sweetie. It's our first day back."

Lily merely smiled and took out a clean piece of parchment. She was soon joined by Remus, who started on their Runes homework.

_Phoenixes are known for their rare abilities. Their tears have extremely potent healing abilities, such as being the only known antidote for basilisk venom. It is said that their tears are able to bring a person back even from the brink of death, while their song will increase the courage of the noble and strike fear into the hearts of the wicked. Phoenixes are capable of lifting a great weight with their tails, as if it were nothing, even when the weight exceeds their own. They can also leave messages by bursting into flame to reappear elsewhere, leaving behind only a single, golden feather. Perhaps the most startling of the phoenix's abilities is the ability to regenerate itself. It periodically bursts into flames when its body becomes old and rises from its ashes as a new-born hatchling. This event is referred to as the 'burning day' and gives the phoenix a great life span, to the point of virtual immortality, as well as the ability to take the full force of a Killing Curse and still be reborn._

As Lily proofread her paper, James made his way over to them. He sat down beside her, a small book perched on his knee. He bent over, his head resting on his arm, which was rested on his other knee, and started scribbling rapidly.

"What are you doing?" Lily asked curiously.

"Writing," James replied, grinning. Lily rolled her eyes and smiled.

"I know that. But what are you writing about?"

"Oh, nothing. Just writing."

"Oh. Is it like a journal?"

"Yeah. Something like that." A chime rang out at that moment, signalling the end of their break. They reluctantly stood up, heading to their next class—Potions.

As they descended into the dungeons, the air around them got relatively cooler. Just outside of the Potions Classroom, they saw a small crowd gathered around—one Hufflepuff, three Ravenclaws, and four Slytherins.

Professor Slughorn emerged from the classroom, his fat belly preceding before him, before his jolly face came into view. His walrus-like moustache seemed to have grown greyer than the last time they had seen him, as well as his belly, since now more buttons threatened to fly off his waistcoat.

"Welcome, everyone. In you go. Oh, Ms Evans, I am very pleased to have you back in my class. Very pleased," he said gleefully.

They walked into the room, which was full of vapours and odd smells. The Gryffindors sniffed interestedly as they passed large, bubbling cauldrons. Snape pushed past them, towards the back of the classroom, averting his eyes from Lily. They decided to sit down near a gold-coloured cauldron that was emitting one of the most seductive scents any of them had ever smelt. They found that they were all breathing rather slowly and deeply; the potion's fumes seemed to be filling them up like a drink. It reminded Lily of her mother's sweet perfume, her father's cigars, and a cologne she was sure she had smelt somewhere before, mixed with the smell of grass and woods after a thunderstorm, making her feel relaxed. James, on the other hand, was reminded of treacle tart, the woody smell of a broomstick handle, his mother's cooking, and a familiar flowery smell.

"It smells like chocolate-chip cookies, cinnamon, and something tangy—like citrus," Sirius said, sniffing the air, causing the girls to giggle and Marlene to grow red—her shampoo had the exact smell. Sirius grinned sheepishly after he realised it.

"Very well, then," said Slughorn, whose massive outline was quivering through the many shimmering vapours. "Scales out, everyone, and potion kits, and don't forget your copies of Advanced Potion-Making, if you please."

After the class had finished taking out their required materials and quieted down again, Slughorn continued.

"I've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at, just out of interest, you know. These are the kind of thing you ought to be able to make after completing your N. E. W. T.'s. As you remember, we have already discussed them. This year, we will be able to actually prepare them. Now, anyone tell me what this one is?" He indicated the cauldron that was positioned in the table Snape and the rest of the Slytherins had taken.

The class raised themselves slightly out of their seats and saw what looked like plain water boiling away inside it. Lily's well-practiced hand hit the air before anybody else's, even before Snape's.

Professor Slughorn excitedly pointed to her. "Yes, Lily?"

"I believe that is Veritaserum, Professor, a colourless, odourless potion that forces the drinker to tell the truth," she said.

"Splendid, Ms Evans, absolutely splendid!" he said happily. "Now," he continued, pointing to a cauldron that was positioned in the table where the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuff were sitting, "this one here is pretty tough one and one of the most known also. Can anyone—?"

This time, James was much quicker than Lily. "That would be Polyjuice Potion, Professor."

"Excellent, Mr Potter. Good job," he said, bouncing happily. "And this one here—?" he asked, pointing to the one at their table, which had a sort of mother-of-pearl sheen.

"That would be Amortentia, Professor, one of the most powerful love potions known to wizards."

"Splendid! Care to tell us more about it, Lily?"

"Of course, Professor. It's supposed to smell differently to each of us, according to what attracts us."

"Excellent! Anyone care to share what they smell?"

"It smells like Frank!" Alice burst out before she could help it, turning a deep red, causing the girls to giggle.

"Don't worry, love, it smells like you to me," Frank said, kissing her head, which was buried in his arm.

Slughorn chuckled lightly. "No need to feel embarrassed Ms Prewett. Amortentia is supposed, as Ms Evans said, to smell different to each of us, reminding us of what it is we hold dear to us, even if we do not realise it yet. Amortentia doesn't really create love, of course. It is impossible to manufacture or even imitate love. No, this will simply cause a powerful infatuation or obsession."

"It is probably the most dangerous and powerful potion in this room—do not underestimate its power, Mr Avery," he said gravely, nodding towards the smirking Slytherin table. "When you have lived as long as I have, you will understand the power and dangers of obsessive love. Now then, class, it is time for us to work."

Ava Greene, a dreamy-blonde haired Ravenclaw raised her hand slightly. "Professor, you still haven't told us what that potion is for."

Slughorn smiled merrily, happy that someone had brought the potion up. "Well, that one, ladies and gentlemen, is a most curious little potion called Felix Felicis. I most certainly know that you know what it does, don't you Ms Evans."

Lily smiled. "It's liquid luck, Professor. It's supposed to make you lucky."

"Indeed! Very good, Ms Evans. Twenty points for Gryffindor, for this and all the other questions you have answered correctly. Now, it's a funny little potion, Felix Felicis," he said, his voice turning serious. "Desperately tricky to make, and disastrous to get wrong. However, if brewed correctly, as this has been, you will find that all your endeavours tend to be successful—at least until the effects wear off. Why don't people drink it all the time, you ask? Well it is due to the fact that if taken in excess, it causes giddiness, recklessness, and dangerous overconfidence. Too much of a good thing, you know. It can be highly toxic in large quantities. But taken sparingly, and very occasionally . . . well it can be a good thing."

"Have you ever taken any, Professor?" Ava asked in her dreamy voice.

"Only on one occasion, Ms Greene. When I was twenty-four. Best day of my life so far," he said, staring dreamily out the window. "And that shall be our prize today," he said, pouring a small amount of potion into a diminutive flask. "Enough for twelve hours of continuous good luck. Now then, we have a little over an hour left to us, which should be enough time for you to make a decent attempt at the Draught of Living Death. I know it is more complex than anything you have attempted before, and I do not expect a perfect potion from anybody," he said, his eyes lingering on Lily. "The person who does best, however, will win little Felix here. Off you go! Good luck to all of you!"

There was much scraping of cauldrons as the class scattered to extract the needed materials from their potions kits. Lily gathered her ingredients and opened her book. After a brief examination, she determined that the book wasn't quite right.

She set to work, making corrections were she saw fit. When she saw that she was supposed to cut up a supophorous bean in order to extract the juice from it, she decided to squash it instead. Much to her delight, she found she had been right. After an arduous hour of much brewing, it was clear that only Snape and Lily where the only ones who even had a chance at winning the small vial of Felix Felicis.

James had given up, cursing under his breath. He turned his attention to Lily, and watched her work on her potion. She smiled slightly when she felt his gaze on her.

"Times up! Stop stirring, please!" He moved slowly among the tables, peering into cauldrons. He made no comment, but occasionally gave the potions a stir or a sniff. He smiled delightfully at the sight of Snape's cauldron. Finally, he made his way to the Gryffindor table. Although they had done their best, they had not come even close to the shade Lily's potion was.

"Splendid, Lily! Now it appears we have a tie between, Mr Snape and Ms Evans," he said, but Snape gathered his stuff and walked out of the dungeons without looking back. "Well, then. I believe this belongs to you, Ms Evans. Use it well! You are dismissed."

The class filed out of the dungeons, happy to be out of the dingy classroom. They made their way towards the third floor. Professor Flitwick was already waiting for them when they arrived.

They walked into his class feeling relieved. It was well known among the Hogwarts population that Professor Flitwick was an easy-going teacher. He seemed to go out of his way to make them feel comfortable and relaxed. After a long, arduous morning, the students visibly relaxed.

After being dismissed from Charms, they made their down the stairs to lunch. They ate quickly, only stopping to chat with Harrison, who, from the looks of it, had had a much easier day than they had.

After lunch came their free period, much to everyone's relief. They made their way back to the Black Lake and everyone took the opportunity to catch up on their homework. After a while, Lily noticed Mary and Remus were missing. She exchanged a smile with Alice.

Another chime rang out, signalling the end of their free period. However, only Emmeline and Lily stood up, leaving the rest of the group behind. They headed towards their Arithmancy class, where they met with a pink-faced Remus, causing the girls to exchange a sly smile and Remus to blush furiously. There they received another homework assignment to add to their workload, although it was far less strenuous than the rest.

The trio met with the rest of the Gryffindors and they all headed towards dinner. Nobody spoke much; they all felt mentally and physically exhausted—the first day of school was typically like that, only more so now that they had progressed towards the N.E.W.T level classes. After dinner, they made their way towards the Common Room.

Lily sat in the chair closest to the fire, a book open in her lap, James sitting beside her. Soon, she felt her eyes drooping and she found it difficult to keep them open. After a while, she fell asleep, her head falling softly against James shoulders, snoring slightly. James smiled as he carefully draped his arms around her.

The next morning, Lily woke up in her bed and she had no recollection of how she had gotten there. Little did she know, James had helped the girls get her upstairs, carrying her gently in his arms.

**A/N: **Let me know what you guys thought, will you? Thanks!


	15. Stolen Kisses

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews! Hope you guys like this chapter! :)

**Disclaimer:** I'm nowhere near as brilliant as Ms Rowling, so nope I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 15: Stolen Kisses

James was standing in the Common Room, looking out the window. He was lost in thought, unaware of his surroundings. His thoughts wandered back to the previous night, of the feeling of Lily in his arms, as she slept peacefully. It was the closest either of them had been and James found himself wishing that they could have stayed like that forever. But it was absurd. Although they were now friends, James yearned for more. But he knew that Lily falling in love with him was asking for too much. So lost in thought was he, that he did not hear someone approaching him from behind.

"Hullo, James."

James jumped up, startled. He turned around slowly, only to find the person he least expected, standing there, looking at him. He couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked, her fiery, wild, red curls adorning her face, her emerald green eyes gazing up at him. He felt that warm feeling wash over him, the same he felt whenever Lily was around. As he looked at her, James knew that at that moment, he would have done anything to make this girl happy. Even if it was at the cost of his own happiness.

"Hey, Lils," he said, his voice coarse. He cleared his throat, running his had nervously through his hair.

Lily smiled at him, approaching him slowly. Their eyes met and she gently touched his cheek, making him tremble at her touch. She slowly stood up on her tiptoes, bringing her face closer to his.

"Oh, James," she whispered, their lips inches apart. Their lips grazed and she spoke again. "Jamsie, wake up," she said, her voice sounding oddly like Sirius'.

"Wake up, James," the voice said again.

"Err—what?"

"James!"

"Lily," James whispered, before someone flicked him in the face, causing him to open his eyes angrily. He reached for his glasses and Sirius's smirking face and tangled mess of curly hair met his eyes. He groaned. Even in his dreams he couldn't kiss Lily.

"You—bloody—arse," James muttered angrily as he stood up from his bed.

Sirius barked out in laughter. "Lily? Were you dreaming about Lily again mate?"

James picked up a shirt from the floor and threw it angrily at Sirius's face, before slamming the bathroom door. Even with the door closed, Sirius' howling laughter seemed to echo through the walls. James swung the door angrily.

"You think its bloody funny, don't you? I wonder what Marlene would say if I were to let it slip that you whisper her name in your sleep. _'Marlene, Oh, Marlene'_!_'_" James said in a high-pitched voice, sounding like a teenage girl.

"Oh, I don't know Prongs. I think she'd be more interested to learn how Padfoot snogs his pillow while he moans her name," Remus said laughing.

Sirius immediately stopped laughing and scowled at them. James smirked and made his way back into the bathroom for a quick shower. Thirty minutes later, the Marauders, plus Frank, made their way out into the Common Room, where the girls were waiting for them. James reddened when he saw Lily, causing Sirius to smirk at him.

They made their way into the Great Hall, where they ate rather hurriedly before heading outside. The day was fairly warm and since they had a free period first that day, the sixth year Gryffindors decided to spend it outside, knowing that soon the days would become too chilly. James sat beside Lily, enjoying the proximity of their bodies and the friendliness between them.

Every now and then, he would make her laugh and she would lean over to him for support. In one of those instances, Lily bend her head just so, that a draft of her jasmine-scented shampoo hit his nose. He stopped quite suddenly, remembering that familiar flowery scent that he had smelt coming from the Amortentia yesterday. A smile crept over his face as the realisation dawned on him. It had been Lily's hair he had smelled; her sweet fragrance.

Her aroma lingered in the air around him and seemed followed him all through Herbology. After Herbology, their next class happened to be Defence Against the Dark Arts, much to their delight. They made their way towards Classroom 3C, which was located in the Third Floor. Professor Hart greeted each of them as they walked in.

"Welcome to the N.E.W.T level Defence Against the Dark Arts," she said after they had all been seated down. "As you may recall, my name is Professor Hart. I will be your Defence Against the Dark Arts instructor." She sat on the edge of her desk, smiling at each of them.

"I have worked as an Auror for most of my life. I retired just last year only to find myself accepting this position when the Headmaster was so kind to offer it. Now, in this class we will study a variety of topics, ranging from defensive spells to nonverbal spells to Inferi. We will learn about the more advanced Dark spells, like the Cruciatus curse. For today's class we will begin by practising a simple disarming spell. You will be surprised how many wizards do not know how to do it properly. It is a simple spell really, so after we master that, we will try it nonverbally, which is the harder part. Before we begin, can anyone tell me anything about nonverbal spells? Yes, Ms—?"

"Evans, Professor. A nonverbal spell is a spell which is performed without saying the incantation out loud. Knowing how to cast spells nonverbally can be useful, given that your opponent has no idea what kind of magic it is that you are about to perform, thus giving you a spilt-second advantage."

"Precisely, Ms Evans. Well done," she said smiling. "Five points for Gryffindor. Knowing how to cast a spell nonverbally is essential in your battle against the Dark Arts. As Ms Evans mentioned, it gives you a small advantage over your opponent and may possibly save your life. When you are out in the field, these seconds that the nonverbal spells give you is what determines whether you come out of there alive. Performing spells nonverbally can be very difficult and requires a good deal of practise, as it requires concentration and mental discipline alone, but they can be very rewarding once you get the hang of it. Now, the incantation for this spell is _Expelliarmus_. Break into pairs, if you will, and practice disarming your opponent. After you have mastered it, you may practise it nonverbally."

The class stood up and scattered to find partners. James noticed that this was their largest class by far composed of themselves, six Ravenclaws, four Hufflepuffs, and five Slytherins, including Snape. He turned over to Lily, who was sitting next to him, running a nervous hand through his hair. She stood up smiling before he even had the chance to speak.

"So who goes first?"

"Ladies first," he said smiling, making Lily laugh.

In no less than twenty minutes, most of the class already had the spell mastered. Professor Hart walked up and down the classroom, nodding approvingly, looking pleased.

"Excellent, class. Now, for the harder part. Remember, the key is to concentrate."

They faced each other again, and a look of total concentration came over Lily. She flicked her wand, but his wand remained in his hand, only making a feeble attempt to escape his grasp.

"Bugger," Lily said, looking disappointed.

"Well, it's good for a first try. Maybe you'll be better next time?"

Lily turned to face him again. After three attempts, his wand went flying out of his hand with a simple flick of her wand. She smiled looking pleased.

"See, you're getting the hang of it."

"Well I had a good teacher," she said smiling as she returned his wand.

James smiled, before turning his concentration to the spell he was supposed to be attempting nonverbally. He was highly proficient in this area, given that many of the spells he had used to become an Animagi had to be done nonverbally. Lily's wand went soaring through the air after just one flick of his wand.

"Wow. James that was incredible. You really do get the hang of these sort of spells."

"Well, I could show you how to do it, if you want," James said, running a hand through his hair.

"You know, I might just take you up on that offer," Lily said smiling.

Professor Hart walked by them, looking pleased. "Excellent job. You two would make excellent Aurors, I can see that. You have potential," she said smiling. "You may either continue practising or start on your homework, which will be an essay about the Shield Charm and its different varieties."

"So should we start on our homework?"

"And let you be better than me? I don't think so," Lily said laughing.

James smiled and faced her again. Given that James already knew how to perform the spell nonverbally, Lily continued practising. After four attempts, she was able to Disarm him with only one try. Feeling pleased, they decided to sit down and observe the class.

Many of them had become quite frustrated and taken to whispering the incantation under their breath. Marlene looked ready to start throwing hexes at a grinning Sirius, who kept Disarming her with lazy flicks of his wand.

"That was excellent class. You may pack up now. For homework, I would like an essay on the Shield Charm and the different varieties which derive from it. And keep practising that Disarming spell, but I'd rather you do it nonverbally this time," she said, sounding amused.

James made his way out of the classroom, along with the rest of the Gryffindors. Outside, Marlene angrily brushed past Sirius, muttering something about 'insufferable assholes'. A look of sheer confusion washed over Sirius' face, causing the girls to laugh at him.

"Well I better go talk to her," Mary said, running after Marlene.

"What'd I do?"

"Well, mate. Let's put it this way. You're a total wanker," James said, patting him on the back, using his same words against him.

"Prongs' right. You are _always _supposed to let the girl think she's better than you. Always. Unless you want to look like a total git," Remus said amusedly.

"Even I know that, Padfoot," said Peter.

Alice looked at them indignantly. "Actually no. We would much rather prefer a _man_ who is courteous over one who wants to be a bloody show-off all the freaking time!"

"Isn't it the same thing?" Sirius asked completely puzzled.

The look that came over Alice's face made Sirius cower behind James; she might have been a whole foot shorter than he was, but that didn't stop her from being any less intimidating.

"You bloody arse," she screeched, turning to Lily for support, but the redhead was too busy laughing at the scared look on Sirius' face. After giving Frank a quick kiss, who ran off to meet his friends, Alice left with one last glare at them, dragging a giggling Lily with her.

"I will never understand women as long as I live," James said, staring at Lily's retreating back.

"Here, here."

Marlene refused to talk to Sirius for the rest of the day, which caused Sirius to continually apologise, much to everyone's amusement. Sirius rarely apologised, especially not to girls, and everybody knew that.

* * *

The rest of the week passed by in a blur and before they knew it the weekend had arrived. James awoke early on Saturday and decided to fly a few laps around the Quidditch field. After all, he was the Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team and the sooner he started practising, the better.

Meanwhile, in the girl's dormitory Lily had been awoken by the sound of her owl tapping insistently on their bedroom window. She groaned, wondering why Athie hadn't waited until breakfast to deliver the letter.

Still half asleep, she made her way towards it, bumping into anything that got in her way. She opened the window wide enough for her snowy owl to fly inside. She dropped a letter on Lily's head before nipping her ear affectionately. The owl perched herself on Lily's desk, looking at her expectantly.

Lily turned the letter over, recognizing her mother's flowery writing at once. She smiled and opened it.

_Dearest Lily-petal,_

_Oh, how I miss you, love! I would have written sooner, but I know that the first week of school is always the hardest one. How have your classes been? I do hope you are enjoying yourself. Things at home are fairly decent. But, have you heard from Petunia, dear? She left after you did, saying she had rented a place for herself London, where she is taking up a typing course. It broke my heart to see her go, but it is something that had to happen._

_Both Daddy and I miss you dearly, love. Write to him will you? I caught him yesterday in your room, going through that album you two made together when you were ten. I don't mean to make you homesick, but you know how melancholy Daddy gets when you leave. But a letter from you ought to cheer him up. It always does._

_Write soon love! And I do hope to hear more from this James boy. I saw the way you were looking at him._

_Lots of love from,_

_Your mummy who loves you_

Lily sighed, feeling happy and melancholy at the same time, like she always did whenever she heard from her mother. She took out two clean parchments and her favourite quill.

_Dearest Mother,_

_I miss you too! School has been wonderful, even if the classes have gotten harder. And no, I haven't heard from Tuney, but I'll owl her. Tell Daddy I love him and he oughtn't be sad._

_And James? What James? I haven't the slightest idea who you are talking about, mum. And no mother, I was not looking at him in any way. We are friends. Just friends. _

_Love,_

_Your dear, sweet Lily_

As soon as she had finished, she turned to the empty parchment, writing a quick letter.

_Tuney,_

_Mum, told me you have moved out. How come you didn't tell me anything about it? Is this why you couldn't make it to Kings Cross? Write soon! _

_-Lily_

"Are you sure you're up for it? I could get a school owl to deliver the letter if you're too tired," Lily asked Athie.

The snowy owl hooted indignantly, making Lily laugh. She carefully tied the letters to her owl's extended leg. With another affectionate nip, Athie spread her wings and took flight. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep, Lily decided to take a quick shower, before heading downstairs to the Common Room, with a book in her hand.

She took a seat in her favourite chair, close to the fireplace, where the remains of last night's fire were glowing lightly. She propped the book open in her knees and after a few minutes, she became completely engrossed in it.

James walked in, completely sweaty and dirty. He started for the stairs, when he noticed Lily reading, completely unaware of her surroundings. He smiled and made his way cautiously towards her.

"Wotcher, Lily," he said, standing behind her, making her jump and punched him in the nose. James laughed, holding his nose.

"James! You scared me," said Lily, looking relieved.

"So, whatcha reading?" he asked, jumping over the couch and taking a seat next to her.

"Oh, just a copy of The Tales of Beetle the Bard that Alice gave me."

"Ah, my mum used to read me those stories when I was little. Which one's your favourite?"

"The Warlock's Hairy Heart."

James laughed. "The Warlock's Hairy Heart?"

"It's a good story," she replied hotly.

"I know it is. It's just—isn't it a bit to morbid for you?"

"Excuse me? Are you implying that since I'm a girl, I should stick to princess fairy tales is that it?" she replied, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"What? No, that's not what I meant at all! You don't—"

"Oh, no I understand perfectly well. You are just a sexist pig!" she said, standing up and walking towards the stairs. James ran after her and took a hold of her arm.

"Lily! No wait. You're taking things out of proportion."

"Oh, no James. No I'm not. Gerroff me James," she said, struggling to get free.

"Lily, I—!"

"You what, James?" she replied, raising her voice, looking at him angrily.

So James did the first thing that he could think off. He did the very thing he had been dreaming about all his life, ever since he had laid eyes on her. He reached down and kissed her. At first, she stood there, completely taken by surprise. Then her lips started moving at the same rhythm as his and she reached up to him, gripping his hair with her fingers. She kissed him hungrily and James worked his hand through her hair, that wild fiery mess of red curls he always found so endearing. He could feel Lily tremble at his touch and he smiled. James started to pull away, to look at her face, but Lily kissed him forcibly and tightened the grip on his hair. A door slammed, making them both jump. Lily pulled away hurriedly, her eyes wide with surprise, blushing furiously.

"Lily," he said, reaching out to her. But she had already turned around and made her hurriedly up the stairs. She turned around looking longingly at him, biting her lip, before disappearing into her dormitory.

James slouched in the chair, running his hand through his hair, groaning slightly. He stared at the spot where Lily had disappeared, wishing he could go after her, although he knew he couldn't—the stairs leading to the Girl's Dormitories were magically enchanted that when a boy tried to go up them, they turned into a slide.

Meanwhile, Lily stood with her back to the door. She brought her hands to her lips. She slumped into the floor smiling. She opened the door slowly and peered outside. She could see James sitting in her chair, his face buried in his hands. She stood up and quietly made her way downstairs. She had just reached James, when all of the courage that she had had just a moment ago vanished completely. She turned around, making for the stairs.

"Lily, wait," James said gently from behind her, making her stop. She turned around slowly, trembling slightly. She looked at him, really looked at him, for what seemed like the first time. He was about a head taller than she was, his body muscular and lean, due to the many hours he spent playing Quidditch. He ran a nervous hand through his black hair that never seemed to stay put, no matter what he did. He was looking at her, through his hazel eyes, the way every girl yearns to be looked at. Her palms sweating and her heart aflutter, she walked up to him. She could feel him tense, waiting for her next move. She reached up to him and kissed him gently. After years of denying it, even to herself, she finally had to admit it. She, Lily Marie Evans was in love with James Perseus Potter. Completely. In. Love. With. Him.

**A/N**: So what did you guys think? I was planning on waiting a bit more before they shared their first kiss, but I gave in. Their relationship won't be anywhere near perfect just yet. I'm already working on the next Chapter so it'll be up soon! Btw, what did you guys think of James' middle name? It sounds funny, but since Dorea is a Black, I chose to give him an astrological name, given their tradition Lol. Yeah I'm guessing you guys stopped reading a while ago so I'll just shut up.


	16. Bubbles and Roses

**A/N: **Once again, thank you all for the reviews. They really do mean a lot to me! I'll try to have the next chapter up sometime later today, but no promises. Enjoy! :)

Chapter 16: Bubbles and Roses

Late the next day, the girls were sitting in the shade of the giant beech tree, close to the Black Lake, working on their Transfiguration paper, which was due the next day, or at least pretending to. Homework forgotten, the girls were clinging onto Lily's every word. Quite suddenly, they let out a squeal, giggling loudly, attracting the attention of those present. The girls however, appeared not to care and ignored the curious glances.

"You didn't!" Marlene exclaimed, a big grin forming on her lips.

"Sh, Marley! Don't interrupt her. Oh, Merlin! Go on Lily, tell us what happened next."

"Well, I sort of panicked and rushed upstairs—"

"Typical Lily."

"Well, seeing as I was taken by surprise, I don't see why I shouldn't have panicked," Lily said huffily, glaring at Marlene.

"Ignore her, sweetie. What happened next? You went back down didn't you?"

"Well, yes. And…"

"Merlin! _You_ kissed him," Mary squealed enthusiastically, causing Lily to blush furiously.

"You might want to say it louder, sweetie. I don't think they heard you down in the dungeons," Alice said, rubbing her ears.

Mary ignored Alice's remark and continued squealing. "I knew it! I always knew you fancied James!"

Mortified, Lily clamped her hand over Mary's mouth. "Sh, Mary! Merlin, everyone's staring. Don't listen to her, she's a bit bonkers," Lily called out, laughing nervously. "Merlin, I shouldn't have said—DID YOU JUST LICK ME?" Disgusted, Lily quickly removed her hand from the blond girl's mouth, wiping it furiously on her clothes.

"Oh, come of it, Lily. Everyone knows you've always fancied James Potter—except him of course, but that's natural since he's a boy and boys tend to be a bit thick."

"What do you mean everybody knows I've always fancied James?" Lily asked, nervously twirling a red lock.

"Really, Lils? You're just as bad as Mary, who still thinks we don't know she and Remus have been running around the grounds, snogging each other every chance they get."

It was Mary's turn to look mortified. "How did you know?" she asked in a squeaky voice.

"We just know. We're your best friends."

"That and we threatened Remus into telling us."

"Anyways, back to topic. So what happens next? Are you guys an item now?"

"Well—no. We haven't actually talked about it."

"Lily! What do you mean you haven't talked about it?"

"I dunno."

"Well, speaking of the devil. He's heading over here right. Now might be a good time to talk about it."

Lily looked up to see James and the Marauders strolling towards them. She frantically searched for an escape route, that somehow involved her Disapparating, which was absurd because it was impossible to Apparate within Hogwarts and also because, well, she had yet to learn how to do so.

"Hullo, ladies," Sirius said, plopping down with a thud, followed by the rest of the gang. James sat down next to Lily, nervously playing with his hair. Sirius flashed them his 'charming' smile, before brushing a black curl out of his face. "Your day just got better. No need to thank me."

Marlene rolled her eyes. "Actually, we were having a pleasant conversation until you blokes showed up. And frankly, I'm quite surprised you're even here. I mean, we're a week into school and you still haven't managed to get detention. I thought you'd be planning one of your oh, so _amazing_ pranks or something," she said sarcastically.

"Ah, my dear Marley. The day is still young."

James cleared his throat and turned to Lily. He brushed a hand nervously through his ruffled hair. He looked at her and hesitated, before speaking. "Can we talk, Lily—err—somewhere private?"

"Um, yeah, sure." Lily felt her stomach do a few somersaults as she stood up slowly, ignoring the suggestive looks her friends were shooting her.

"Hey, Lils! What's that bubble-creating charm you showed Professor Flitwick last year?" Sirius yelled out, causing her to turn around.

"_Sempiternalis Ebullio_. Why'd you want to know?" she said slowly, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

"Just wondering," Sirius replied, flashing her a grin.

She sighed and turned back to James. "Shall we go?"

He nodded absentmindedly and they both took off towards the castle in total silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Lily seemed to be leading the way, as she took them up the stairs to the Third Floor.

"Err—where are we going?"

"Somewhere private."

The made their way cautiously down the Charms corridor. Every so often, Lily would turn around, making sure no one was following them. She finally stopped by a portrait of a woman with flowing white robes, dancing in a rose garden.

"Hortus rosarum," Lily whispered. The woman smiled and stepped aside, revealing a passageway. Lily smiled, thanking the woman in the portrait, before climbing in. She held her hand out for James, helping him climb in. They continued walking in silence, until they came to a small clearing and climbed out. Lily smiled, taking in the scenery.

It was the most beautiful garden James had ever seen. All around, they were surrounded by the most exotic and beautiful plants; some they knew by name, but most of them were completely new to them. A small pond stood in the middle, where little fish swam about. A small bridge allowed passage from one side of the pond to the next. Small cascades formed by the edge of the pond, where a lone bench stood, surrounded by the most elaborate roses any of them had ever laid eyes on. All the while, birds flew all around, indulging them with their songs. It was like a world entirely of its own.

Lily had stumbled across it in her third year, when she had been trying to get away from the Marauders. She was sure that she was the only student who knew about it and had never felt it necessary to tell anyone about it. It was had been her own secret sanctuary, until now.

"Blimey. What is this place?" James asked, looking around in awe.

"I believe Dumbledore said it was called the Garden of Secrets."

"Dumbledore?"

Lily shrugged. "He saw me coming out of it once. He was the one who explained to me how it works. He said that it reflected the purity of one's heart and the secrets within it. The nature of the garden describes the secret nature of our souls. For example, if a Dark Wizard were to walk in here, he would find it to be full of wilting plants, a lifeless and desolate place."

James smiled. "I don't need a garden to tell me what I already know; you are as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside," he said, smiling sheepishly.

Lily's cheeks flushed lightly and she smiled. She took James' hand once more and guided him to the bench. They took a seat, allowing the beauty of it all to sink in before speaking.

"So, um, you wanted to talk?"

"Yeah—err—about yesterday. What does this mean? What's going to happen? Between us, I mean?"

"I dunno. I like you James. I really do. And this past few days have been wonderful. I really do enjoy your company. But I just feel like we're rushing things. Just earlier this year I couldn't stand you and now—don't take it the wrong way. I'm just afraid that if we rush things along, it might ruin things between us. Maybe being friends, for now, is the best thing to do. Who knows? Maybe, somewhere in the near future, we could become more than that…" she said, trailing off.

James sighed and looked away. Although he felt a little disappointed, he supposed Lily was right. He looked back at her and she was looking at him earnestly, her beautiful green eyes hopeful. He smiled. He would do anything she asked, would follow her to the end of the world if he had to.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Lily smiled relief evident on her face. She rested her head on James' shoulders and he drew his hand over her shoulders as the two stared off into space, contemplating the future.

* * *

"I don't understand why I can't help, Padfoot," Peter said huffily, his head sticking out into the corridors.

"Because, Wormtail, you get to keep watch. Now be quiet and lemme finish." Sirius brushed his hair out if his eyes and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. Whipping out his wand, he set to work, decorating Professor McGonagall's office with thousands of colourful bubbles. He knew he had only fifteen minutes tops before McGonagall walked into her office on her way to dinner. Currently, she was in Professor Flitwick's office having tea.

As he added the finishing touches, Sirius checked his watch again. Five minutes. "Okay, Wormy. I think that's it. Let's go."

The two boys made their way cautiously out of the office and into the corridors. They rushed into the Great Hall, muffling their laughter.

"What's wrong with you two?"

"Oh, nothing. Let's just say that in about five minutes, Minnie's going to walk through that door, looking quite bubbly."

Lily stopped, her spoon suspended in mid-air, her eyes wide open, staring at them incredulously. "What did you twats do?" she said through gritted teeth, a fake smile plastered on her face.

"Well, let's just say we helped Minnie decorate, didn't we Wormy?"

"Black! Lupin! Evans! Potter! Pettigrew! My office! NOW!" Professor McGonagall yelled, bursting through the door, covered head-to-toe in multi-coloured bubbles. The Great Hall erupted into laughter and even the Headmaster seemed to find it amusing. The five of them stood up quickly, following her out of the Hall and into her office.

Every inch of it was covered in thousands of small, colourful bubbles. Across her desk was a banner that read "With Love from, Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter. Oh, and thanks Lily". Lily turned around to glare at them, but it was nothing compared to Professor McGonagall's glare.

"Never before have I met students as reckless and troublesome as you four! I would have thought that by your sixth year you would have matured! Sadly, I see I am mistaken. There is nothing I can say that I haven't told you before. So I might as well save my lectures. You are to clean my office and I expect to find it impeccable! Not a single bubble. And as for detention, all five of you will report to Hagrid tomorrow at midnight."

"Err—Professor?" Remus asked, his eyes on the floor. "I don't think tomorrow—"

"I see. Very well then, make it Friday at midnight. And as for you, Ms Evans, although I am sure you had nothing to do in this little _prank, _I would expect you to be smarter than that and not give them any ideas. You are a prefect for Merlin's sake." With one last glare at the boys, she exited her office.

As soon as McGonagall was gone, Lily rounded on Sirius. "You—bloody—idiot!" she said in between punches. Sirius merely stood there laughing, causing Lily to become even more enraged. James stepped in, holding Lily back.

"James Potter, you let me go this instant!" she shrieked.

After she promised not to attack him, James let her go. She smoothed her hair out of her face before whipping out her wand. With a flick of her wand, she conjured a small flock of yellow birds. With another flick, she sent them flying straight at Sirius, who only realised a second too late what was going on. He yelped and covered his face with his hands, but the birds attacked, pecking and clawing at every bit of flesh they could reach.

The trio burst out laughing as they watched Sirius frantically trying to wave the birds away. Lily smiled at them triumphantly, before making the birds disappear with another flick of her wand.

"Blimey, woman! What in the bloody hell was that for?"

"Because thanks to you, I have bloody detention. Now I suggest you get to cleaning before I send another flock of birds at you. And this time, I won't help you get rid of them."

James smiled. That was one of the things he loved about Lily—her feistiness. Although she would never admit it, James knew she would make an excellent Marauder. Or Maraudette. He watched her as she threw her head back and laughed at Sirius, who had just had his hair transformed to a deep shade of purple by an annoyed Remus. In that moment he knew that there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. She was the _one_. He loved her. And he would do anything to help her fall in love with him.

* * *

Tired, wet, and covered in colourful bubbles, the Marauders and Lily made their way to the Gryffindor Common Room from the Hogwarts Kitchens, where they had eaten a rather hurried meal. They bid goodnight to Lily as she made her way to the Girl's Dormitory.

James changed quickly into his pyjamas. He sat down in his bed, ruffling his hair rather tiredly.

"Oy! Prongs you never told us what happened between you and Lily," Sirius said, yawning widely as he tossed his shirt on the floor.

James removed his glasses before laying down. "We decided it was best if we—err—remained friends, for now."

Sirius barked out a laugh. "Blimey mate! You were friendzoned."

"I was not," James said, glaring at Sirius. "We're taking it slow. Starting of as friends and seeing where it goes from there."

"Aha, sure, whatever you call it mate. Point is, you were friendzoned."

James rolled his eyes and turned around, facing away from Sirius. He knew he could get Lily to feel about him the same way he felt about her. He had never felt this way about a girl before. He had dated many other girls before, of course, but none of his past relationships had gotten very far. His thoughts had always wandered back to Lily. He sighed, rolling onto his back. He lay awake for a long time, looking up at the ceiling and thinking of Lily.

**A/N**: Having them rush into a relationship right away and have everything be absolutely perfect would be just absolutely boring and I will by no means have James cheat on Lily or vice versa. That's too—cliche. I don't think that at this point, Lily knows exactly how she feels about James, which is why I chose to do it this way. They'll have a few fights, more snogging sessions, fight some more before Lily can really admit she's in love with James. After all, they are teenagers. But don't worry, it'll all work out in the end (as we all know).


	17. Werewolves,Dementors&theForbiddenForest

**A/N:** Once again, thanks for the reviews. :)

Chapter 17: Werewolves, Dementors, and the Forbidden Forest

"Thank Merlin you haven't mastered wandless spells, sweetie, or that poor girl would be in so much pain right now," Alice said, reaching for a piece of toast.

They were sitting in the Great Hall having breakfast, while Lily stared daggers at Selene Wilson, a pretty fourth year brunette, who happened to be the Gryffindor Seeker and with whom James was currently engrossed in conversation with. Although they were discussing Quidditch strategies, Lily was more than a tad irritated at the way the girl kept practically throwing herself at James.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, Ali," Lily said innocently.

Alice smirked, rolling her eyes. Lily continued glaring at them both until the girl walked away, but not before giving James a hug. Lily humphed under her breath as James took a seat next to her.

"How are you this fine morning?" he asked her, grinning widely.

"I'm fine, thanks," she huffed, obviously annoyed.

A knowing smiled crept over James' face and Lily felt herself blush. She cursed herself for being so obvious. She was relieved when the usual flock of owls flew in, signalling the arrival of the mail. Athie flew in, dropping a letter in her lap, before perching herself on Lily's shoulder. Lily fed her a piece of toast as she reached down for the letter. She recognized Petunia's neat writing at once.

_Lily,_

_I asked mother not to tell you! I wanted to surprise you when you got home for the holidays. And yes, I've decided to move to London to pursue a career, seeing as I am old enough. I have so much to tell you Lils. I won't say much only that I've met the most wonderful man. His name's Vernon Dursley and I just know he's the one. I'll tell you more when I see you._

_Love,_

_Tuney_

Lily smiled before extracting a quill and parchment from her knapsack. After scribbling a quick reply, she handed it over to Athie, who took flight at once. She turned to James, who was reading the Daily Prophet. One look at his face told her something was horribly wrong.

She peered over his shoulder and felt her stomach churn violently as she read the headline: _Muggle-born Henrietta White Disappears Under Suspicious Circumstances. _A picture of a pretty young girl, who appeared to be no more than twenty smiled up at Lily. Although the picture did not show it, she had flowing blond hair and stunning blue eyes. Lily fought back tears as she stared down at the familiar face. Henrietta White had graduated just last year. She had been Head Girl and Lily had grown quite close to her during the course of the year. The last time Lily had heard from her, she had been working as a member of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad. She felt James give her hand a gentle squeeze. Taking a deep breath, she continued on to the article.

_It is with a heavy heart that this reporter informs you of the tragic disappearance of Henrietta White. Just shy of her eighteenth birthday, Ms White was a recently graduated Hogwarts alumni who had recently taken a job in the Ministry as part of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad. Her boyfriend, renowned Quidditch player Ludo Bagman, arrived at the home the two share in London, only to find the house in complete disarray and White nowhere to be found. Ministry Officials believe it to be the work of none other than You-Know-Who and his league of followers, the Death Eaters. Up until know, they had only been targeting Muggles, so it comes as a great shock to find that one of our very own has gone missing. Could this be the first of many tragic disappearances to come? This reporter can only hope that that is not the case._

Lily sighed heavily as she reached the end of the article. She silently prayed that Henrietta would be found alive and safe. But deep inside she knew it was all in vain.

* * *

The rest of the morning passed by in a blur and neither Lily nor her friends paid much attention in class. It wasn't until after their Charms class that Lily noticed that Remus seemed much more pale and quiet than usual and she realised it was due to the fact that there would be a full moon that night.

"Lily, can I talk to you?" he asked rather worriedly.

"Sure Remus."

He led her away, causing their friends to throw them curious glances. Lily quickly cast a muffling spell around them when she was sure they were alone.

"It's called the _Muffliato_ Charm, I got it from Snape," she explained after she became aware of his questioning look. "It creates a buzzing sound that muffles our voices. That way our conversation will be private."

Remus nodded. He hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Lily, there's no easy way to put this, so I'll just go out and say it. I'm a werewolf." He paused and looked at her, studying her reaction.

Lily just stood there looking at him thoughtfully. "And?"

"Merlin, Lily! Did you hear me? I'm a werewolf!"

"I heard you, Remy. There's no need to shout."

"But don't you get it! I pose a danger to you all! Especially to Mary! That's why I didn't want to let things get this far! That's why I'm telling you, so you can tell her! I don't want to see her reaction, see the disappointment in her face!" he cried, desperately pulling his hair.

Despite herself, Lily burst out laughing. "Oh, Merlin, Remy. Are you really that dense? We've known you were a werewolf since our third year. We've known it all along. You are still the same sweet, caring Remus to us," she said placing a hand on his shoulder.

He looked taken aback. "So you're not afraid of me? Of the danger I pose?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

"Then you should be. It's for your own good and for Mary's too. She shouldn't have to live her life with a monster like me," he said, looking ashamed.

"Now, you listen to me Remus John Lupin! It does not matter to any of us that you have this—problem. It does not by any means define you. You are a wonderful, beautiful human being and one of the best people I have ever met. I've always admired your kind, quiet nature and your ability to make everyone around you feel special," she said frustrated, trying to make Remus understand. He looked away from her and she could see his eyes were wet with tears.

"Remy, look at me," she said softly, touching his cheek. "You are one of my best friends and I love you. You really do mean a lot to me, Remus. And I know Mary loves you too, only she loves you as more than just a friend. You cannot let your being a werewolf get in between you and your happiness. You deserve much more than you think." She drew him into a hug, stroking his hair as his sobbing gradually lessened. He pulled away, a watery smile on his face.

"I really did mean what I said, Remus. You really are a wonderful person," Lily said as they walked towards the Great Hall.

Remus sighed heavily, the way one does after they've just finished crying. "You have no idea how much your friendship means to me, Lily. I was a fool to think you'd stop being my friends just because of my problem."

"Well, yeah you were. But you're a boy, so that explains why you're so dense," she said laughing.

"How did you find out?"

"I've always known you were a bit dense," she said laughing, causing Remus to smile. "Well, at first we believed your stories about having to visit your ill mum, which somehow always happened during a full moon. Then when James started addressing it as your 'furry little problem', we went along, believing the stories of your badly misbehaved rabbit. But after we learned about _them_ in third year, it didn't take much for me to put two and two together. The girls eventually drew their own conclusions."

"I should have known you would eventually figure it out."

"Well, some regard me as being the brightest witch of our class," she said grinning.

"I wouldn't say brightest," he teased, grinning back.

She laughed, smacking him playfully on the arm.

He turned serious all of a sudden. "Do you think I should tell Mary?"

"I don't know Remy. I mean she already knows, but it would probably be a good idea to try to tell her."

"I guess you're right."

They walked into the Great Hall, heading over to the Gryffindor table, waving to Harrison. James kept shooting them suspicious glares and Lily turned away, smirking as she took the empty seat next to him.

"Ah there they are! My two favourite people! Moony and ickle Lilykins!" Sirius bellowed, grinning widely.

"And where have you two been?" James demanded.

"Talking about—err—my furry little problem?"

"Oh, and how'd she take _it_?" Sirius asked, lowering his voice.

"_She_ is sitting right here. And if you must know, _she_ took the news quite well. Although in hindsight, _she_ already knew."

"You talked to Lily about it? Why didn't you try telling me?" Mary asked, looking a bit hurt.

"You two knew?"

"Actually, James, we all knew. And it was because he was afraid of how you might react, Mar."

"Oh, Remus, you great, big, brute," Mary exclaimed, throwing her arms around him and kissed him in the mouth.

"OY! Might I remind you two lovebirds that there are people trying to eat here?" Sirius said, looking quite uncomfortable at the snogging session happening next to him. Remus pulled away, a look of satisfaction on his otherwise pale, tired face.

As the day wore on, Remus seemed to become restless, watching the windows relentlessly, as the sun made its way across the sky. Late that afternoon, Professor McGonagall walked into the Common Room and led Remus away, with the pretence of taking him to see his ailing mother. He bid them goodbye as they all offered him encouraging smiles. When he had left, they remained sitting there for a long time, feeling anxious, as they usually felt when they had to watch Remus make his journey alone.

* * *

That night, after much tossing and turning, Lily stood up and walked to the water jug set by the windowsill and poured herself a drink. She rested her head against the window and gazed out into the dark. A majestic stag broke into the night, roaming around freely. It raised its head and looked straight at her, as if it sensed her gaze.

Startled, she raised her head, peering down for a closer look. But her eyes were only met with the darkness of the night. Sighing, she made her way back to bed, dismissing it as a trick of the night. She doze off instantly and when she woke next, she hardly remembered the stag at all.

* * *

As it usually happens during the second week of school, the days passed rather rapidly and before they knew it, Lily and the Marauders were making their way down the corridors and out into the edges of the Forbidden Forest to meet Hagrid for their detention.

Filch, who was leading them, was telling them a particularly nasty story about punishing a student quite a few years back, when physical punishment was still allowed.

"Left 'im hanging by the wrists from the ceiling for a few days. You'd think I was killing 'im by the shrieks he let out. He thought twice about breaking a school rule again after that little experience, wouldn't you?" he said leering at them.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Sirius said rather dramatically, although he did look a bit pale.

"You'd think he'd have gotten used to hearing Filch's stories by now," Remus muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Is he always this nasty?"

"Who? Filch? Nah, right now he's being pleasant."

"All right there, are yeh?" Hagrid, the Hogwarts' Groundskeeper said kindly. "Bin waiting fer yeh fer about half an hour. Yeh, bin lecturin' 'em haven't yeh, Filch? 'S not yer place ter do that. Yeh can leave now, I'll take it from 'ere."

Much to Lily's relief, Filch sneered at them one last time before disappearing into the night, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness. She grinned widely at the kind, half-giant standing in front of her.

"Hagrid! It's so good to see you!"

"It's good ter see you too," he said, smiling. "Now, down ter business. There's summat that's bin scarin' the animals in there an' I want yeh to help me look around, see if we can find it. But yeh got ter be careful. I don' want anyone taking risks, yeh got that?"

Hagrid stopped and looked at them expectantly. They nodded in response and he continued.

"Alrigh' then. Now, 'ere's what we're going ter do. We're gonna split inter groups of two an' search around the place, see what we can find. If we find sumthin', we're gonna sen' green sparks up inter the sky. Red sparks will mean there's trouble. Yeh got that? Good."

"I take Fang!"

"Alrigh' but I gotta warn yeh, he's a bit of a coward. Now then, I'll go with Remus and Lily yeh don' min' goin' with James do yeh? Good. And Peter—yeh can go with Sirius an' Fang, even it out a little bit. Alrigh' then. Let's go."

They made their way over to the edge of the forest. They walked a little way in before taking different paths. Even though Lily had been into the forest plenty of times during her Care of Magical Creatures lessons, she couldn't help but feel a bit scared. After all, she had every only been in there in the day time. During the night, it was a completely different place. The darkness and silence of it all gave the forest an eerie feeling. James seemed not to be bothered by any of it as he lead them deeper into the forest. A cold breeze brushed past them and Lily hugged herself.

"Are you cold?" James asked even as he was removing his robes.

"No, James you don't—thanks." Lily smiled as he placed the robes on her shoulder. James made a grab for her hand and the two made their way down the bumpy path. Suddenly, James stumbled upon a tree stump and was saved by Lily, who had been holding his hand. She let out a soft giggle as James cursed under his breath.

"Bloody tree," he muttered. "I wish Hagrid would have let us borrow his lamp. Can't see anything. It's so bloody dark."

Lily smiled, rolling her eyes. "_Lumos_," she whispered, causing the tip of her wand to emit a warm glow.

"Or we could do that."

They continued deeper into the forest, guided by the light provided by Lily's wand. Quite suddenly, light provided by wand gave away and even the little light that had been provided by the moon vanished.

An intense coldness swept over the young couple and Lily could feel her breath catching in her chest. She felt herself shaking uncontrollably as the coldness seemed to be biting into deeper into their flesh and she broke out in a cold sweat. The creature made its way toward them, taking dragging, rattling breaths. It came gliding noiselessly closer to them, tasting the fear in the air.

"Lily! Get behind me!" James yelled even as he stepped in front of her protectively.

Lily stood, frozen to the ground, feeling utterly hopeless. She felt her knees give away and she fell to the ground. She saw James whip out his wand, pointing it straight at the Dementor.

"_Expecto Patronum_!" A majestic stag erupted from his wand, galloping straight at the creature and before circling around them and Lily saw as the Dementor started retreating back into the darkness. Relief washed over her as soon as it had gone. She could see the Patronous disappear into thin air as James ran to her.

Lily slowly rose to her feet, aided by James' strong hands. Still feeling quite shaky, she wobbled unsteadily and James instinctively put an arm around her waist.

"Lily are you alright?" he asked concernedly.

"I think so," she replied. "Was that a—?"

"Yeah," he sighed heavily. He pointed his wand upward, sending red sparks shooting into the darkness. He led Lily to a fallen trunk and helped her sit down, before joining her.

"What in the name of Merlin's beard was it doing here then? I thought they were confined to guarding Azkaban."

"I dunno, Lils. But I'm guessing it can't be good."

They heard rustling among the trees and James jumped to the ground, pointing his wand at the noise, ready to attack. A young man came out from behind the trees, arms raised. Lily recognized him at once. She jumped after James, grabbing his arm.

"No, James! Wait. That's Thomas Kirby, one of the Aurors." James lowered his wand hesitantly.

"What are you two doing here?" Kirby asked in a low voice that sounded more like a growl.

"Detention. What are _you_ doing here?"

"I saw the flash of light and the Dementor being chased away. Who conjured that Patronous?"

"I did."

"Impressive. Are you two alright?"

"I suppose so."

"Here. Eat this," he said, extracting a piece of chocolate bar from his robes and breaking it in half before handing it to them. "It'll help. I should tell the Headmaster about this. You two will be alright if I left you here?"

"Yeah. We're with Hagrid."

Kirby nodded at them before hurriedly making his way towards the castle.

"Jamsie! Lily!" Sirius shouted, running towards them with Fang at his heels who was dragging a scared Peter behind him. "Are you two alright?" He threw his arms around both of them, engulfing them in a hug.

"Ow! Sirius, geroff me!" Sirius pulled away from them, sniffing dramatically into his sleeves.

"Are yeh two alrigh'?" Hagrid asked, making his way towards them. Remus followed him closely, looking pale.

"What happened?"

Lily allowed James to retell the story as she clutched to his arm.

"Does anyone have any chocolate?" Remus asked after he had finished.

"Moony now is not the time for your incessant chocolate cravings! Our dear Lilykins and Prongsie were just attacked—"

"It's not for me, Padfoot! It's for them! It'll help them feel better."

"How in the name of Merlin's most baggy Y-fronts will chocolate make them feel better?"

"Yeah, Moony. Kirby gave us some before he left," James said, ignoring Sirius' theatrical displays of emotion.

"Eat it then. It'll help."

Lily sighed and took a small bite and was relieved to find that it spread an instant warmness all throughout her body.

"We should go back to the castle."

"Yeah, I 'spose you're right. Come on all of yeh. And I don' wan' anyone gettin' separated, understan'?"

They followed Hagrid out of the forest, huddled together. As they made their way out into the clearing, they could see Kirby and Professor McGonagall running towards them in her nightgown, followed by Professor Dumbledore. Normally, this would have caused a few wolf-whistles among the Marauders, but in the light of the circumstances, they remained quite silent.

"Are you children alright?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Would any of you be kind to explain what exactly happened in there?"

"Well, Headmaster, Lily and I were walking through the Forbidden Forest, serving our detention, when we were attacked by a Dementor."

Professor McGonagall gasped. "A Dementor?"

"Yes. Oh, it was horrible Professor! It felt as if all the happiness had been sucked from the air. And then somehow, James managed to produce a Patronous and it drove the Dementor away."

"And then I shot up some red sparks, just like Hagrid instructed us."

"And we met Kirby, who ran off to tell you."

"Then the we arrived, to find Lily and James shaken but alright."

"And know we're here.

"I see. Minerva, would you be as kind as to escort these students back to their dormitories? I believe I need to have a word with our Minister as to why a Dementor was so far away from Azkaban without his permission. And thank you, Mr Kirby for informing me."

"Professor?"

"Yes, Ms Evans?"

"I was wondering—do you have any idea who sent that Dementor."

"Alas, I do."

"Who, Albus?"

Dumbledore sighed heavily before responding. "Voldemort."


	18. Sunset

**A/N:** I had a serious case of writer's block and had no idea on how to continue with the story. I gathered inspiration today, by watching the sunset :) Hopefully I'll be able to have the next chapter up sometime later this week. This is a fairly short chapter, but I hope you guys like it.

Chapter 18: Sunset

The days passed and brought with them even more proof of Voldemort's rise to power. Muggle-borns were disappearing more frequently now and nobody doubted anymore who was behind them. Soon, half-bloods were added to the number of disappearances. And then, when entire families disappeared, the wizarding community went into panic. People talked in hushed voices about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named amongst themselves, not knowing whom to trust. They dared not speak his name out loud, for fear that their families would be targeted next.

The students of Hogwarts were most affected by this. They lived in constant fear of receiving the dreadful news that their family had been added to the list of disappearances. The staff tried their best to make the students feel safe, but to no avail. Following the Dementor attack, Professor Dumbledore had demanded an explanation. Ministry investigators arrived at the scene, only to find that Dark Magic had been used to lift some of the protective spells surrounding the school. It all seemed to indicate that it had been an inside job.

Dumbledore had been furious to discover that the protective enchantments around the school had been tampered with, thus leaving the school vulnerable. The Ministry had provided Hogwarts with even more Aurors, but the number of Dementors in the Dark Forest seemed to double each day. After another student was nearly attacked, Professor Dumbledore had finally put his foot down.

Along with several villagers, the staff, many Aurors, and even some older students, which included the Marauders, they had worked in unison to cast a Patronus Charm large enough to cover the entire Hogwarts grounds, keeping the Dementors at bay. The students were not allowed to be out on their own after five and a teacher had to be present whenever Quidditch practise was held after that, as a precaution.

The Sixth Year Gryffindors had this and much more to worry about. Their workloads seemed to double and their lessons became even harder. Tensions were running rather high among them, which often resulted in another one of Lily and James' famous fights. James would say something that would irritate Lily, which would cause her to go into a frenzy. The Common Room would watch in awe, knowing better than to come between them.

These fights would usually result in a very moody Lily refusing to speak to him for the remainder of the week and a rather upset James looking as if he had lost his will to live. Coincidentally, these fights always seemed to occur whenever either one of them was approached by a member of the opposite sex.

The only thing anybody seemed to be looking forward to was the Quidditch match, which was a little over two weeks away. The Gryffindors were out practising one afternoon, getting ready for their upcoming match with the Slytherins.

Lily was sitting on the stands with Emmeline, Mary, Frank, Remus and Peter, watching the Gryffindor team practise. Madam Hooch sat a little way from them, snoring slightly.

Lily watched, slightly bored. The only reason she was even there was because Alice and Marlene were both on the team, and although she would never admit it, she was also there because of James, although, currently, they were on nonspeaking terms, given that Amos Diggory had asked Lily to the upcoming Hogsmeade visit. James had become rather furious and had gone on to ask Suzanne Lawrence in turn, which had irritated Lily greatly.

Lily turned her attention to the Quidditch practise. Alice and Felicia Pearson, a fifth-year mousy-haired girl, where both excellent Chasers, but they were nowhere near as good as James was. Sirius and Marlene where the team's Beaters, while Andrew Smith, a tall, muscly, seventh year, was the team's Keeper. She watched them zoom around the field, with such an agility and confidence Lily never had; she was terrified of flying. Flying could lead to falling and she wasn't sure whether or not it was worth it. After all, everyone knows how much falling hurts.

Lily watched as Selene Wilson, the team's Seeker, zoomed over to James. She pouted as the girl practically threw herself at him.

"Oh, come off it, Lilac. James is so not interested in her. He only has eyes for you," Emmeline whispered to her, batting her eyes prettily at her.

Lily rolled her eyes. Emmeline had the annoying habit of calling Lily flower-names whenever she wanted to irritate her, which usually happened whenever the topic of James surged between them.

"You think I actually care about James? I don't give a rat's fart about him, whatsoever," said Lily, a fake smile plastered on her face.

Emmeline smirked at her. "Please, Daisy. I am your best friend."

"I really have no idea what you're going on about. And my name is _Lily_."

"Poppy—" Emmeline taunted, the smirk on her face growing wider.

"Nope. Not happening."

"Oh, come on, Jasmine, you know it's true."

"No, it's not" she said through gritted teeth.

"Just admit it, Lavender."

"Alright! You win. Happy now?"

"Yep," she grinned and both girls turned back to the Quidditch field.

"If you tell anyone, you know I'll just deny it."

Emmeline laughed. "Don't worry, Lils. My lips are sealed."

They watched as James breezed lazily past the Keeper and scored yet another goal. She sighed. She really did admire their skill. Never in a thousand years, would she ever get on a broomstick. She had avoided them in their first year, by claiming to be terribly ill whenever they had flying lessons. Although Madam Hooch had become rather suspicious, she had decided to let it go.

James signalled to the team and they flew towards him before flying down and heading to the locker rooms.

"Oh, thank Merlin," Mary said, standing up and stretching. She turned to Madam Hooch and woke her up, poking her hesitantly with her finger. "Madam Hooch? Practise's over."

They made their way down the stands. They were halfway to the castle when James shouted at Lily to wait for him. From the corner of her eye, she could see Emmeline grinning widely at her and giving her a thumbs up. She turned to James, who was hovering, a few feet in front of her, grinning widely.

"What do you want, Potter?"

"Oh, so we're still on a last name basis, are we _Evans_?"

She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. James dangled dangerously in front of her.

"You really should be more careful, James," she said, forgetting to sound mad.

James laughed. "I'm okay, Lils. Care to join me for a ride?" he asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"We're not supposed to be out here unsupervised."

"Oh, come on. Madam Hooch hasn't even noticed."

"If we get caught, we'll get detention."

"Where's your sense of adventure, Lily? _Please_."

"No, thank—" Lily let out a loud squeal as James easily hoisted her onto his broom. "James Potter! You get me off this thing this instant!" she shrieked as they zoomed upward.

James merely laughed. He placed both hands tentatively around her waist and Lily was too scared to protest. She leaned back, as close to him as possible, mentally urging him not to let her go. They made their way toward the Black Lake and Lily lost it.

"Not the lake! Are you trying to kill me? Oh, Merlin! We're going to crash!"

"There's nothing to be afraid of, Lils," James murmured against the back of her neck. "I won't let you go."

"Well, you should hope so! Or I'll kill you, I swear I will!"

James let out a laugh as he smoothly glided around the Black Lake. Despite herself, Lily let out a small smile. It really was quite a view. James started to slowly remove his arms and she held on to them, not willing to let go. James let out a small chuckle.

"Don't you dare, James Potter!"

"Come on, Lily. Do you trust me?"

"What?"

"Do you trust me?" asked James once more.

_Did_ she trust him?

"Yes," she said, the words flowing out of her mouth before she could stop herself.

He removed his hands once more, a smile on his lips. "Okay now, place both hand firmly on the handle. Go on, Lily. It'll be fine, I promise," he reassured her when she started to protest.

She hesitated, before placing her hands like he instructed. "Like this?"

"Yes, now lean forward_ gently_."

"Lean forward? Are you mad?"

"Lily—"

"Fine. But if I die, James, I swear I will haunt you for the remainder of your miserable life," she said, leaning forward gently. She let out a sigh of relief when they didn't go crashing towards the ground as she had expected.

James laughed. "See, there's nothing to be afraid of, Lils."

She allowed him to take control of the broom once more and they zoomed slowly around the castle grounds.

The sun was setting now, tuning a soft, glowing orange, making the sky look as if it had been painted with every shade of orange and red in existence. Colours reflected off of the lake, from a rosy pink to a hazy yellow. They went lower, and Lily stretched out her hand and let it graze against the water, making small ripples across the lake, dragging the colours together.

Lily sighed, allowing herself to absorb the beauty of it all. She leaned her head against James' shoulder and they continued flying slowly, towards the sunset.


	19. Sunset: James POV

**A/N: **Just wanted to thank The-Delectable-May-Reach for this idea! I don't think this is what you meant, but your review gave me the idea, so thank you! It's pretty much like the last chapter, except its from James' perspective and it includes a little more info than the last chapter. Since it's like a re-do of the last chapter, I decided to post up the next chapter, too. Hope you guys like it!

Sunset: James POV

James sat in the Common Room, contemplating the fire. His thoughts travelled to Lily, like they usually did. He remembered that afternoon earlier that week, and he groaned, cradling his head in his hands. He knew he had completely messed up. He just couldn't help himself at the idea of seeing her with somebody else.

_They had been sitting in the Great Hall during lunch, when Marlene had walked towards them, a big grin on her face._

"_Lily! I've been looking for you everywhere! I just heard from Hestia who heard from Lexie who heard Amos tell Frank that he is going to ask you out on a date," Marlene said, taking a seat between them. "You are so bloody lucky."_

_James snorted besides them._

"_What?" Marlene asked, turning to James_

"_Are you serious? Amos Diggory? What's so bloody great about him?"_

"_He is only the hottest seventh-year, not to mention Headboy and Hufflepuff Quidditch Captain. What's there not to like?"_

"_So? It's not like he's some bloody god or something," James snorted. _

_Lily frowned at him. That should have been his first warning sign, but he ignored it, too engrossed with arguing with Marlene._

"_No, but he's as close as they get."_

_James smirked. "Right. He's a bloody git, that's what he is."_

"_Are you jealous, James? Because you could perfectly ask her out if you wanted to," Marlene said, grinning widely._

"_Me jealous? Of him? It's not like Lily would ever go out with him or anything."_

"_Excuse me?" Lily said, slightly annoyed. "I'll have you know that I would if I wanted to," she said, standing up. "And maybe I will," she said, glaring at him before walking away._

And she had stuck to her word. Mary had been the one who had told him about it. James hadn't been able to control himself and had gone on and punched Amos in the face. Naturally, when Lily had heard about it, she had confronted him.

_He had been sitting in the Common Room, nursing a black eye when she had stormed in, raging mad. One look at her face and James had known that he was in for it._

_"You bloody arse, James Potter!" she yelled from across the room, taking long strides towards him. The Common Room suddenly became quiet as everybody stared from Lily to James. _

_James stood up, cowering away from her. She might be a head shorter than he was, but she could be really intimidating when she wanted to. Even with the glare she was giving him, James couldn't help but notice just how beautiful she was._

"_Hey, Lily," he grinned, trying not to show just how intimidated he was. "What's up?" _

_Smooth._

"_Don't you 'Hey Lily' me!" she shrieked. _

_Or maybe not._

"_What in the bloody hell were you thinking punching Amos? You are a bloody git!" _

"_But, I'm just trying to protect you, Lily!"_

"_Protect me? Do I look like I need to be protected?"_

"_He's not good for you!"_

"_And what? You are?" she screeched. _

"_Well, yeah!"_

_She laughed maniacally. "Oh, please! I'm going out with him whether you like it or not! And next time you should try asking me out, instead of punching people like a complete arse!"_

"_Well then, will you go out with me?" James said, unable to contain himself._

"_What? No! You are pathetic!"_

"_I'll take that as a no, then?"_

"_Of course it's a no you bloody twat! I'd rather go on a date with the Giant Squid than with you, Potter!"_

She had refused to talk to him for the remainder of the day, leaving James completely hopeless. In a desperate act, he had asked Suzanne Lawrence out. The only thing that had managed was to aggravate Lily even further. She had taken to completely ignoring him and referring to him as 'Potter' whenever she was forced to talk to him.

He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. He felt someone take a seat next to him and he looked up to see Alice's kind, round face. She looked at him thoughtfully, before speaking.

"Do you know why Lily's so afraid of broomsticks?"

"Er—what?"

"Do you know why she's afraid of broomsticks?" she repeated.

"Er—no? But—"

"Just listen to me. It'll make sense. It's because broomsticks imply flying and flying leads to—?" she said, looking at him expectantly.

"Er—"

"Falling. Seriously, James," she said, rolling her eyes and smiling. "Lily is afraid of falling. Falling down, falling short of her expectations, falling in love."

A look of realisation washed over James' face. It all made sense.

"There's a reason why Lily's past relationships have never lasted," she continued. "She is afraid of falling in love, sweetie. It all makes sense if you think about it. Her sister, one of the people she's loved the most, hurt her. Cast her off as a freak and constantly harassed her. She completely closed herself. Over the years, we managed to get her to open herself up again. But there was always that tinge of doubt. Fear.

"When that thing with Snape happened last year, we feared she was going to close herself up again, like before. Luckily, Petunia made peace with her and that helped a lot. But it's still there. I can see it in her eyes. She's still afraid. I think that she's finally realised that she likes you too, but she refuses to admit it. Which is why she continually picks fights with you, sweetie. It's easier to push you away than allow you in."

James sighed heavily, allowing it all to sink in. "But what can I do? How can I make her understand that I would _never_ hurt her?"

Alice smiled. "That's for you to figure out, sweetie. But, if I were you, I'd do something to catch her attention. Sweep her off her feet."

She squeezed his shoulder affectionately, before walking away, leaving him to ponder on his thoughts.

* * *

James was zooming around the Quidditch field, shouting commands to his team. Every now and then, he would feel Lily's gaze following him around. He would look at her, only to have her frown and look away. James sighed and called his team over, before dismissing them.

Alice smiled at him. "You know, I think right now would be a good time as any to talk to Lily," she said with a wink, before joining the rest of the team.

James hovered in the air, confused, trying to figure out his next move. What had Alice said?

"_Sweep her off her feet."_

He grinned, a plan already forming in his mind. Maybe he could change her mind, one step at a time.

"Hey, Lily!" he called, zooming towards her.

She turned around, a pout on her face. He grinned, stopping a few feet in front of her.

"What do you want, Potter?" she said, trying to sound mad, but failing miserably. James grinned even wider.

"Oh, so we're still on a last name basis, are we _Evans_?"

She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. James dangled dangerously in front of her.

"You really should be more careful, James," she said, forgetting to sound mad.

James laughed. "I'm okay, Lils. Care to join me for a ride?" he asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

He saw her hesitate. "We're not supposed to be out here unsupervised."

"Oh, come on. Madam Hooch hasn't even noticed," he pressed on.

"If we get caught, we'll get detention." She uncrossed her chest, playing nervously with a strand of hair.

"Where's your sense of adventure, Lily? _Please_."

James saw her bite her lip hesitantly. He shrugged and took her moment of hesitation as a yes.

Lily let out a loud squeal as he easily hoisted her onto his broom.

"James Potter! You get me off this thing this instant!" she shrieked as he zoomed upward.

He laughed. While any other person would have found Lily's continuing shrieks distracting, James didn't. He was determined to change her mind.

He hesitated before placing both hands tentatively around her waist. When Lily didn't protest, he smiled. She leaned back, as close to him as possible.

He steered towards the lake, trying to show Lily the beauty of it all; that there was nothing to be afraid of.

"Not the lake! Are you trying to kill me? Oh, Merlin! We're going to crash!"

"There's nothing to be afraid of, Lils," he murmured against the back of her neck. She seemed to relax a little. "I won't let you go."

"Well, you should hope so! Or I'll kill you, I swear I will!" she said, trying to sound intimidating.

James let out a chuckle as he smoothly steered them around the Black Lake. He had a sudden idea and started to slowly remove his arms, but she held on to them, holding him tight.

"Don't you dare, James Potter!"

"Come on, Lily. Do you trust me?"

"What?"

"Do you trust me?" he repeated, waiting anxiously for her answer.

"Yes," she said.

He removed his hands once more, a smile on his lips.

"Okay now, place both hand firmly on the handle. Go on, Lily. It'll be fine, I promise," he reassured her when she started to protest.

She hesitated, before doing as he asked. "Like this?"

"Yes, now lean forward _gently_."

"Lean forward? Are you mad?"

"Lily—"

"Fine. But if I die, James, I swear I will haunt you for the remainder of your miserable life," she said, leaning forward gently.

James laughed. "See, there's nothing to be afraid of, Lils."

She allowed him control of the broom once more and he steered them slowly around the castle grounds. James could see the sun was setting now, tuning a soft, glowing orange. He peered down at her and he smiled. She had a happy, relaxed look on her face. The sun hit Lily's face just right, giving it a beautiful, natural glow. She sighed, placing her head on his shoulder. He smiled as he steered them toward the sunset, not wanting that moment to end.


	20. Hogsmeade

**A/N:** So here's the next chapter! Hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Feel free to review :)

**Disclaimer: **The only thing I own about Harry Potter is a copy of the books.

Chapter 20: Hogsmeade

"Remind me again, why am I going on a date with Amos Diggory?" Lily asked, frowning at her reflection.

"To annoy James?" Emmeline said with a smirk. She was laying on Lily's bed, paging through a copy of _Witch Weekly_.

Lily pouted at her, before returning to her reflection. Any other girl would be delighted to go on a date with Amos Diggory. So, why wasn't she? She bit her lip, thinking back to that afternoon with James. It seemed that he was constantly on her mind now. Why couldn't she keep James out of her head?

_Should I call of my date with Amos? _she thought to herself, staring pensively at her reflection, before turning back to Emmeline.

"Hey, Em—"

"Merlin, listen to this," said Emmeline, cutting her off. "_After almost three decades of continuing refusal_, _Gwendolyn Morgan, Captain of the Holyhead Harpies, has finally accepted the unremitting marriage proposal of Rudolf Brand, Captain of Heidelberg Harriers. Sources close to the couple say that the wedding is to be held next March…"_

"Who?" she asked, confused.

"Gwendolyn and Rudolf? From the Harpies and Harriers Quidditch teams? Merlin, how can you not know them?" Emmeline asked, sighing at Lily's confused expression. "They're most famous for their seven-day match in 1953. When the Harpies won, Rudolf proposed to Gwen and she hit him over the head with her broomstick, and he's continued proposing to her ever since…You know, you and James remind me of them a bit. They always did have a sort of love-hate relationship…"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Em, you're not helping." She turned back to her reflection and sighed. "I guess we should go," she said, grabbing a cardigan and scarf from her bed and making her way down the stairs.

They made their way down the corridors and Lily noticed that the Hallowe'en decorations were already up. She smiled, already anticipating the Hallowe'en feast. They headed towards the Great Hall, where their friends were waiting for them. Lily watched as Sirius brushed angrily past a smirking Marlene.

"What's wrong with him?"

"He just asked me out to the Hogsmeade trip. I said no."

Emmeline laughed. "You sassy bitch."

"I know," Marlene said, grinning.

"But I thought you liked Sirius."

"I do, Mar. But he's not the _only_ boy. Next time, he should ask me beforehand and not at the last minute. Besides, I already have a date."

"Who?" asked Lily curiously, reaching for her orange juice.

"Andrew Smith," she said shrugging.

"The Keeper?"

"How many Andrew Smiths do you know, Ali?"

"Oh, he's so cute! You're so lucky Marley."

"Who are you going with Em?"

"Well I thought I was going with Marley, but apparently not," she said frowning. "I wonder if it's still too late to ask Derrick Fisher."

"Please. That boy is practically in love with you, sweetie."

At that moment, James walked into the Great Hall, holding a hand over his left eye. He staggered over to them, taking a seat next to Lily.

"What's wrong with you?"

James laughed, removing his hand to reveal a black eye. "I broke off my date with Suzanne. Don't think she was too happy about it."

"That looks like it hurt. Here, let me fix it for you," said Mary, taking out her wand. She pointed her wand at his eye and muttered something under her breath. Quite suddenly, the bruising disappeared. "There, that should do it," she smiled.

James grinned. "Thanks, Mary."

Lily bit her lip. "You broke off your date with Suzanne?"

"Yeah," James shrugged.

"Well, she doesn't seem to upset about it," Remus said, gesturing towards the Ravenclaw table.

The girls turned to see Suzanne feverishly snogging a very pleased looking Sirius. They turned to Marlene, who had an icy smile plastered on her otherwise calm face. She had that mischievous glint in her eyes that meant she was about to do something very drastic.

"Lily, can I please have that jug of orange juice? Oh and that bowl of porridge too, please."

"Marley, what are you going to do?"

"Nothing, just give it here," she said, flashing her blue eyes at Lily.

Lily reluctantly handed them to her. Marlene stood up and walked towards the snogging couple. With one wink at the sixth-year Gryffindors, she dumped the bowl of porridge onto Sirius' hair.

"Oh clumsy me," she said, a smug smile on her face before pouring the orange juice over his head. "That should fix it."

"OY! What in the bloody hell was that for?"

"For being a sodding arse, _Black_."

"Me?" he yelled, staring at Marlene incredulously.

"Yes, you. Now if you excuse me, I've got a date to go to."

The Great Hall erupted in laughter as a gaping Sirius stared after Marlene, who made a rather triumphant exit, with much applause from Sirius' many ex-girlfriends.

"You've got to love that girl," said Emmeline.

They returned to their usual morning chatter, discussing their plans for Hallowe'en, which was also Sirius' birthday. They had just decided on throwing him a party, with much protest from Lily, when they were interrupted.

"Good morning, Lily."

"Merlin," Lily muttered under her breath.

"What?"

"Nothing. Amos, I don't think we—"

"Why, hello there Amos!" James cut-in, good-naturedly.

She stole a glance at James, narrowing her eyes suspiciously, but he ignored her.

"Er, hello Potter. Shall we go then, Lily?"

"Yeah, Lily. You wouldn't to keep Amos waiting, would you?"

Lily scowled at James. "Yeah, sure," she said, a fake smile on her lips as she stood up reluctantly. With one last pleading look at her friends, she made her way after Amos.

* * *

Fifteen minutes into their date and Lily knew she had made a terrible mistake. Up till now, Amos had done _all _of the talking. He would look at her every so often, making sure she was paying attention, before returning to his favourite topic: himself. He had boasted about everything from his good looks to his _amazing_ Quidditch abilities. When she knew he wasn't looking, Lily rubbed her temples exasperatedly; it was all she could do to keep herself from hitting her head against the table. She silently cursed herself for not having the courage to cancel the date.

"My great-grandfather is one of the most accomplished Ministers in history, you know. I plan on becoming a Minister of Magic myself and following in his footsteps," he said, eyeing Lily to see if she was impressed.

She wasn't, not in the slightest, but nevertheless she acted the part, a fake smile plastered on her face. "I bet you'd be an excellent Minister," she said.

"Yes, I would, wouldn't I?" he said, thoughtfully. "You know, Lily, there's always something I've wanted to do."

"And what is that?"

He leaned in to her, heading for a kiss. Lily panicked and backed away from him, almost falling out of her chair. "Merlin, I just remembered. I have to finish my Potions essay. You wouldn't mind if I headed back to the castle, would you?" she asked, laughing nervously as she stood up.

"No, of course, not," he said, frowning slightly. "Do you want me to accompany you?"

"No! I mean, no, it's all right. You should stay here, with your friends. Isn't that them over there?" she asked, walking backwards before turning around and walking out of The Three Broomsticks.

"I'll see you, then," he called after her, but she was already gone.

* * *

She walked at a brisk pace, searching for a place to hide. Before long, she reached the only place she knew Amos wouldn't never even dream of visiting: The Hogs Head. She pushed the door open and walked inside, sighing in relief.

It was a rather dingy place, but it was preferable than listening to Amos continuously brag about himself. She looked around and saw that it was deserted, save for a few drunk men who were sitting in a corner.

She ignored their leering and sat by a dirty window, trying to figure out a way to find her friends, without being seen by Amos. She heard the tinkling of a bell, signalling the arrival of another customer, but Lily ignored it.

"Who are we hiding from?" a husky voice asked, startling her. James laughed, taking a seat next to her. "Lovely place. You come here often?"

Lily rolled her eyes, trying to hide her smile. "Sod off. It's your fault I'm here," she replied huffily.

"How is it my fault?"

"The only time I need you to act like a complete arse and you go on and ruin it by being _polite_."

James laughed. "First you attack me for being an arse and now you're mad at me for not being one? You should really make up your mind, Lily," he said, grinning.

"I didn't attack you. I merely asked politely that you stop being an arse," she said innocently, causing James to snort. "Obviously, you still need to work on that."

They fell silent for a moment, before Lily spoke up again.

"What's your favourite season?"

"Er—what?"

"Oh, come on. It's a game muggles play to get to know each other. We take turns asking each other questions until we've asked twenty each. Just play along."

"Can we ask any question? Any one at all?"

"Yes and we have to be truthful."

"Okay. Summer."

She grinned. "Okay, now it's your turn."

"Favourite holiday?"

"Hallowe'en. Favourite colour?"

"Green."

"Really? I would've thought it was red or gold, you know, Gryffindor colours."

"Er—they used to be," James said, running a nervous hand through his hair. "Why did you hate me?" he asked all of a sudden.

Lily's cheeks flushed lightly. "I never hated you."

"You sure made it seem like it. _And_ you constantly told me that."

"Well, you _were_ an irritating, pompous, arse. But I never hated you. You just made me so mad. I mean, your idea of a prank consists of turning people's hair green. So, you can't really blame me for getting a little mad sometimes."

James laughed. "You still remember that?"

"I had green hair for a _week_. I think I would remember something like that."

"That was so long ago, when I was young and reckless," James said, laughing nervously.

"James, you do realise this happened just last year?"

James laughed. "People change, Lily. Don't you think I've changed?"

"Maybe just a little. You can still be very irritating," she said, smiling, causing James to laugh.

"But I'm also rather attractive and talented, so that evens it out a bit," he said, grinning.

Lily rolled her eyes, smiling. "You know, sometimes I wonder how your broom can support that fat head of yours."

James laughed, running a hand through his hair. "I have a perfectly normal sized head."

"If you say so."

"So, how'd it go?"

"What?"

"Your, er, date?"

She snorted. "Depends on what your definition of a date is."

"Was it that bad?"

"Let's just say he spent the majority of it explaining why he's so bloody wonderful. He's got a fatter head than you and that's saying something."

"So you don't like him, then?" James asked casually.

"Not in a romantic way, no. And I'm not sure whether I like him any other way anymore. He's just so full of himself. Why'd you ask?"

"Just wondering," said James, trying to hide the glee from his voice. "Amos' probably gone by now. Reckon we should go back to the castle?"

"No, I still need to go to Honeydukes."

"Honeydukes? What for?"

"To replenish my supply of chocolate, duh."

"You sound so much like Remus," he laughed as he stood up. "Shall we go then, Ms Evans?" James said smiling, as he held his arm out for her to take.

She laughed as she took his arm and the two made their way through the thinning crowd. Before long, they reached Honeydukes and went inside. After about ten minutes, they made their way out once more, with a bag full of sweets James had insisted on buying for her.

"I've never had this much fun in Hogsmeade before," she said, as they made their way up the path to the castle. "All my other dates have been rather boring compared to today."

"Dates? So we're on a date, then are we?" James asked, grinning widely.

Lily laughed. "Technically, we're on my date with Amos."

James groaned as they approached the castle doors. "I was hoping you'd say we were, because if we were on a date, then I would have an excuse to kiss you."

"As if you ever needed an excuse," she joked.

"Are you giving me permission to kiss you?"

Lily smiled, leaning in close to James, her face mere inches from his. "In your dreams, James," she whispered, before pulling away, laughing. She ran up the stairs, towards the Gryffindor Common Room.

James laughed as he ran after her; it didn't take long for him to catch up to her. He reached for her hand, and when she didn't pull away, he smiled. They ran up the last flight of stairs together, coming to a stop the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"So how about that kiss, Lily?" he whispered, turning to face her, their face mere inches from each other once more.

Lily's cheeks flushed lightly and she smiled, leaning her face closer to his. She lightly kissed his lips, before pulling away. She winked at him, before walking into the Common Room, leaving James staring after her, a grin on his face, feeling as if all his dreams were finally coming true. And they truly were, because all his dreams revolved around just one person: Lily Evans.


	21. Of Pranks and Parties

**A/N: **Okay, so before I forget, the song I mention on here is Arms by _Christina Perri. _I just changed the name of the artist, to fit it in with the story. I was hearing the song while finishing this up and I thought it kinda described Lily's feelings. Okay, so moving on. I hope you guys enjoy my attempt at a prank (those are really hard to come up with) and the chapter in general :) I feel like I'm forgetting something but oh well. On with the story! Oh and that other song, yeah it's from West Side Story, just modified to my convenience lol

Chapter 21: Of Pranks and Parties

James was fast asleep late the next morning, given that they had stayed up late into the night, planning Sirius' party. He was having such a good dream, which involved Lily—all his dreams seemed to be about Lily lately—when he was dragged away from his slumber by none other than Sirius Black.

"Happy birthday to me!" bellowed Sirius at the top of his lungs. James groaned and pulled a pillow over his head, trying to muffle Sirius' voice.

"Five more minutes, mum," Peter mumbled sleepily.

"Bloody git," Remus muttered besides him, but Sirius ignored him, continuing his shouting.

"Come on you lot! Wake up! It's my birthday! Happy birthday to me! I'm finally seventeen!"

"Will you shut the fuck up already?" Remus yelled at Sirius, before throwing his pillow at him. With the agility of a Beater, Sirius dodged it, grinning widely.

Sirius turned to his pile of presents instead, laughing gleefully. "All these for me? I'm touched!" he said loudly, much to James' annoyance.

He heard Frank mutter something under his breath, before he walked into the loo and slammed the door behind him.

"Oh, look this one's from Lily. And it's got a letter attached to it," he said, catching James' attention. James stood up quickly, eyeing him warily.

"No, it doesn't."

"Yes, it does. Let's see. _Dear Sirius, I've always secretly fancied you_—"

"Let me see that," said James, snatching the letter from Sirius. "This letter is from Natalie Clearwater, you twat."

"Ah, so it is. My mistake. But now that you're awake, we've got some planning to do," Sirius said, grinning gleefully.

"What kind of planning, Padfoot?" Peter asked excitedly, fully awake now.

"For my birthday prank, of course!"

"Who're we gonna prank?"

"I was thinking Snivelley. I seriously cannot stand that slimy git. And we still haven't got him back for calling Lily a _You-Know-What_ last year."

"Count me out then," said James, heading back to his bed.

"What? Prongs passing on an opportunity to prank Snivellus? This can't be! What's gotten into you, Prongsie? Don't you love Lily?" Sirius asked pouncing on him, making them both fall to the floor.

"Gerroff will you?" yelled James, trying to push Sirius off him, which was quite hard given that he had landed face down. "Look, mate, I've just managed to finally be on Lily's good graces," he said as he continued to struggle under Sirius' weight. "She's finally stopped trying to murder me whenever she sees me. Pranking Snape will only mess things up and I really don't want that to happen—damn it geroff me!"

"Do my ears deceive me?" Remus asked, jumping off his bed. "James Potter, finally maturing! I'm proud of you, mate."

"No, no, no! I will not have it! We are the Marauders! It is our duty to prank!" Sirius pouted at them. "Besides it's a tradition! We _always_ prank people on Hallowe'en! And it's part of the Marauder Pact," he said standing up and extracting a small leather book from his trunk. "Read rule number eleven, Wormy."

"_A Marauder shall never back out from a prank. If he tries, then Messrs' Remus, James, Sirius, and Peter have permission to punish the offending Marauder_."

"We wrote that when we were twelve, Padfoot."

"Which would explain why rule number three is, '_No other Marauder, except for James, shall fancy Lily Evans. She's Jamsie's flower'_," Remus snorted, reading over Sirius' shoulder.

"Sod off, Moony," James muttered.

Sirius barked out in laughter, before continuing. "So, I was thinking—"

"Well, that's a surprise," Remus snorted, causing Sirius to glare at him.

"Shut up, Moony. Now listen closely…"

* * *

"So we're all clear on what we're supposed to do?" asked Sirius as they made their way down the corridors.

James rolled his eyes. "Yes, Padfoot. We've been over this at least ten times," he said, trying to sound annoyed although he was secretly pleased. Remus had finally helped him convince Sirius to keep him out of the actual pranking, although he would be playing a small role in it, nevertheless.

Remus scowled at Sirius. "I don't get why I'm being dragged into this."

"Well, Moony, you don't have to if you don't want to. But let's not forget what happened last time you refused to take part in one of our pranks."

Last time Remus had refused to partake in their prank, he had walked around Hogwarts for three whole days, his hair flashing different colours, making him look like a walking muggle Christmas light. James started laughing but fell sombre when he became aware of Remus' death glare. They continued walking until they got to the doors leading to the Great Hall. Sirius took out the silver pocket watch James' parents had gotten him and examined it closely.

"Padfoot, how long until you stop showing it off?

"Until I get tired of it. Alright places everyone," said Sirius, rubbing his hands together, a huge grin on his face before walking in.

James walked in after him, running a nervous hand through his hair, trying to appear as normal as possible. He headed over to the Gryffindor table, where the sixth-year girls were already having breakfast and plopped down next to Lily.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked him, arching her eyebrow.

"Nothing, I—"

James was interrupted by the sound of a male voice singing. Everyone turned around to see who it was, but James slouched down in his seat, staring at his hands. He was beginning to understand what Lily had said about their being a difference between pranking and bullying someone.

"_I feel ugly_

_Oh so ugly_

_I feel like a slimy 'n ugly buffoon _

_And I pity_

_Any person who lays eyes on me today_

_I am stupid_

_Oh so stupid_

_It's alarming how stupid I feel_

_And so ugly_

_That I hardly can believe I'm real_

_See the slimy git standing there?_

_Who can that abominable git be?_

_Such an ugly face_

_Such dirty hair_

_Such a worthless fool _

_Such an ugly me!_

_I feel greasy_

_And measly _

_Feel like running_

_And dancing for joy_

_For I'm loved_

_By no one in this world,"_ Snape sang, looking completely confused about the words coming out of his mouth.

The Great Hall became silent, before erupting in laughter. Snape continued singing, much to his horror. He began doing jerky movements, which might have been his attempts at a dance. He tried desperately to stop himself, but his attempts were useless.

When his song was finished, the Hall exploded into applause and Peeves flew in, cackling gleefully, dumping a bucket of slime onto Snape's head—that had been James' part in the prank, convincing Peeves to help them out, which hadn't been hard at all. This drew even more laughter from the Great Hall and Snape rushed out, but not before glaring at the Gryffindor table with such loathing, that James squirmed uncomfortably in his seat.

"Maybe now you'll take a shower," someone called after him, making people laugh even harder.

James looked over to Lily, whose face had a mixture of pity, anger, and disappointment. She turned to him, searching his face. James felt a pang of guilt—the only reason he had refused to take an active role in the prank had been because of Lily. He still couldn't forget the way she had looked at him after what had happened with Snape last year, the way he had felt when he had thought he had lost any chance he had of being with her.

"James, did you have anything to do with this?"

He hesitated, rubbing his neck. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut-off by Remus, who had walked up behind them.

"No, Lily. He didn't," he said firmly.

"James didn't do anything, sweetie. He was sitting right beside you this whole time," Alice added, but not before kicking James under the table, hard.

He choked back tears, but Lily had remained oblivious to it all, glaring instead at Sirius, who was laughing uncontrollably as if that had been the funniest thing he had ever seen.

"You are horrible, Sirius Black! Absolutely horrible," she scolded fiercely.

"Oh, come on. It was pretty funny, Flower."

"Don't call me Flower, Sirius! You shouldn't have pranked him! It's just wrong! What has he ever done to you?"

"It's more like what _hasn't_ he done. He's a bloody arse and you more than anyone else knows it."

"Oh, come on, Iris. That git deserved it, after what he called you last year."

"Sweetie, Em's right. Snape totally deserved it. It's actually much less degrading than anything else they've tried on him."

"See, Lily-Petal? Even Alice agrees. And she rarely ever agrees with anything we do."

Lily rolled her eyes, muttering something about 'incorrigible idiots' under her breath and continued glaring at Sirius.

"Come on, Lils. You have to admit it was funny. Admit it," Marlene grinned.

"I will never admit to such a thing. If it had been an innocent prank, I wouldn't mind. But that—that was just plain wrong!"

"But that was an innocent prank!"

"That was humiliating!"

"So? I don't see anything wrong with that."

Lily opened and closed her mouth furiously, at loss for words. James looked from Lily to Sirius, open-mouthed. For once, he wasn't the object of Lily's anger and had he been less irritated at his friend, he would have suggested he run. But he didn't—it felt good to be the audience for once.

Lily glared at Sirius before pointing her wand at him. And before anyone could stop her—although no one would be stupid enough to try, since Lily was quite dangerous when angered—she had transfigured Sirius' clothing into a painfully pink dress, which would have revealed quite a lot of cleavage, had he been a girl. His outfit was topped with a pink bow, matching high heels and enough makeup that it seemed as if he had gotten in a fight with a clown and lost horribly.

The Great Hall erupted in laughter once more, this time aimed at Sirius, with much wolf-whistles from the male population. Lily smiled smugly at Sirius.

"You were right. There is nothing wrong with humiliating people. It's actually fun."

Sirius pouted at her, opening his mouth to protest, but he was cut-off by Professor McGonagall, who pinched his left ear, looking quite furious.

"I cannot believe how reckless you are, Black! Pranking a fellow student! I thought we had gone over this already! Never in my years of teaching have I met someone quite like you!"

"But, Minnie—"

"Don't you 'But, Minnie' me, Black! You two! My office—now," she snapped, glaring at the other two boys, before pulling Sirius out of his seat. "By the way, I am impressed with your improvement in nonverbal spells, Ms Evans."

The Great Hall erupted into laughter once more as they watched Sirius howl in pain as McGonagall dragged him to her office, tripping over his feet, which were still styling those horrid high heels. James couldn't help but join in on the laughter. After all, Sirius _had_ deserved that.

* * *

After much pleading, the girls had finally convinced Marlene to keep Sirius entertained whilst they prepared for his party later that evening. She had allowed herself to seem annoyed, although she was secretly pleased.

But she couldn't help but suspect that this was just another one of their stupid plans to land her and Sirius together. Those girls were going to kill her if they kept it up. Couldn't they just stick to Lily and James? That was always much more fun.

"Bombs away!" Sirius said gleefully, before letting a balloon fall to the ground, hitting an unsuspecting Hufflepuff third-year.

They were standing on top of the Clock Tower, pelting innocent bystanders with water balloons, for the fun of it. Marlene rolled her eyes and smiled, before aiming her balloon straight at Suzanne. Suzanne looked up and glared at her, before making a rude hand gesture.

"Oops, sorry," she called, smirking.

"That's my girl!" Sirius barked out in laughter before throwing a balloon at a Slytherin.

"Shut up Black," she said smiling, aiming another balloon at a Ravenclaw seventh-year.

"What's with the whole Black thing? I thought we were past that."

"We were, but then you had to go on acting like a sodding arse."

"How in the name of Merlin's underpants did I act like a sodding arse? I still don't get what I did to cause you to attack me like that yesterday. I spent most of the afternoon trying to get porridge off my hair! Porridge! Out of my hair! My hair!" said Sirius, pouting at her.

Marlene rolled her eyes at him, before sending a balloon at a fellow Gryffindor first-year.

"Is it because you fancy me?" Sirius pressed on, causing Marlene to blush slightly. She reached down for another balloon, shielding her face.

"You cannot be serious," she said, laughing nervously.

"Actually, _I am_ Sirius," Sirius said innocently, a big grin on his handsome face.

Marlene rolled her eyes again. After six-years of hearing that joke repeatedly, it had grown quite irritating.

"Use that pun again and I will hurt you."

"Oh, come on Marley. You fancy me. Admit it."

"Keep dreaming."

"I'm not hearing a no."

"Bite me."

"Oh, I'd definitely like to do more than—OW! What in the bloody hell was that for?" asked Sirius indignantly, rubbing his head.

"For being an idiot."

"Why won't you just admit it?"

"Why do you care? Don't you already have a girlfriend?"

"Who? Suzanne? Nah, she's only good for one, maybe two shags."

"You're an idiot, Sirius."

"Come on, Marley. Admit it," he said, adopting a seductive tone and smiling that half smile he always used whenever he was trying to win a girl over. He inched closer to her, his grey eyes never leaving her blue ones.

Despite herself, Marlene felt herself getting lost in those stunning grey eyes. She was about to give in when, thankfully for her, Lily appeared.

"Marley! I—oh. Sorry," she said, obviously suppressing her giggles as she started to walk away.

"Wait! What did you want, Lils?"

"I—no, it can wait. After all you two seem _very_ busy."

Marlene shot her a pleading look, which Lily seemed to understand at once. After all, hadn't she been avoiding situations like these for the last five years?

"What are you two doing anyway?"

"Water balloons," Marlene replied simply and held out a balloon.

Lily grinned and walked over to them, taking the balloon Marlene had handed to her. She walked over to the railing and held it over the edge.

"I thought you were against pranking, Lilykins."

"No, I'm not. But what you did wasn't a prank, it was bullying," she shrugged before letting it go.

"Who was responsible for this?"

They all became rather pale on hearing Professor McGonagall's voice. She was glaring up at them, her nose flared. They slumped down, identical expressions on each of their faces.

"Crap. What are we going to do?" whispered Lily, playing nervously with a strand of hair.

"Nothing. You two go. I'll handle this," he whispered, pushing them towards the corridors. He stood up and leaned over the rail, grinning widely. "What's up Minnie?"

"Black! I should've known! Get down here this instant!"

"I'd love to Minnie, but I'm in a bit of a hurry," he said before rushing out, leaving McGonagall standing there, shouting after him.

* * *

"Okay, so we've got everything then?" Lily asked Alice as they gave the Common Room the last finishing touches.

They only had about five minutes before Remus showed up with Sirius. It was already packed with most of the Gryffindor Common Room—the only ones missing were the first through third years, several Ravenclaws and quite a few Hufflepuffs; after all, Gryffindor parties where quite popular around the school. And as long as they kept the noise down, the teachers needn't suspect a thing.

"Yup, I think that's it."

"We're just missing one thing," said Marlene, grinning widely.

"And what's that?"

"Alcohol."

"Oh, no. Absolutely no alcohol. Must I remind you what happened last time you convinced us to have a shot of Firewhiskey, Marley?"

"That was in third year. We can handle it now."

"What are you girls talking about?" asked James, walking up to them, holding several bottles of Firewhiskey and Butterbeer in his arms.

"Where'd you get that?" Lily asked, raising an eyebrow quizzically.

"Marlene asked for them. She said you girls agreed…What'd I do?" James asked as he became aware of the look Lily had shot him and Marlene.

"Lily's against having alcohol."

"Oh, come on, Lily. It's Sirius' birthday. The bloke's only going to turn seventeen once. Why're you against having alcohol anyway? I mean, it is a party."

"Well, let's just say that the last time Lily got drunk, things got a little…out of hand."

"Wild party girl then, are we? Now we're definitely having alcohol," James teased.

Lily rolled her eyes. "You're and idiot James," she said pouting at him.

"I'm just messing with you, Lils. If you say no alcohol, then no alcohol it is."

"Please Lily. Pretty pretty _please_," Marlene said, using her best puppy face on her friend.

"Fine. We can have bloody alcohol. But if things get out of hand, you two will be sorry."

"Great. They should be here any minute."

* * *

"Hurry up, Sirius. It's not like you don't already know about the bloody party," said Remus, a bit exasperatedly as he tried to drag Sirius towards the Common Room. But like always, he was being difficult.

"Calm down, Moony. I have to plan my entrance," said Sirius, grinning at his friend.

"Either you get the fuck in there, or I punch you in."

Sirius chuckled. "Can't wait to get drunk, can you Moony? I always knew you were a closet alcoholic."

"Sirius," said Remus through clenched teeth.

"Alright, alright. But it's just—Moony?"

"What now?"

"Well, mate it's just. I want to ask you a favour."

Remus sighed. When Sirius asked for a favour, it usually always meant trouble.

"What is it?"

"You know how we get smashed in parties without a second thought and usually end up shagging some random chick in the broom closet?"

"Actually, that's just you, Padfoot."

"Yeah, whatever. Well, I just—I was wondering if—you could—help me, you know…"

"Wait. You're not going to ask me to help you get a girl to shag are you?"

"Actually—yes. That's exactly it, Moony," Sirius said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "No, you bloody moron. I want you to help me prevent myself from doing just that."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"First James refuses to prank Snape and now you want me to help you stop yourself from sleeping with some random girl? Either I've gone mad or you both have. Or it's just some plan you two thought up to actually drive me mad."

"So will you do it?"

"Even if I agreed, how exactly would I stop you?"

"Come on, Moony. I'm sure you'll think of something. You wouldn't want your best mate to do anything stupid, would you? I mean, you're the one whose always bloody lecturing me about women and their _feelings_."

"Fine. I'll do it."

* * *

Lily walked around the Common Room, holding a bottle of Butterbeer in her hand, making sure things were under control like the prefect she was. Although she had had a few Butterbeers and at least two shots of Firewhiskey, she felt like she was the most sober person there. Mostly everyone seemed drunk out of their minds. She noticed Alice and Frank had gone missing and Marlene was in a corner with Andrew Smith, their faces inches from each other. Quite a few people had already disappeared, to a deserted broom closet, no doubt. She sighed as she passed a fourth-year couple who looked like they needed to find a broom closet and fast. She made her way back to her seat by the kindling fire and plopped down besides James.

"Everything alright then?"

"Yes. Although, if those two keep it up, I will personally drag them into an empty classroom."

James chuckled. "Ah, young love. Come on, let them have their fun. We should be having fun too."

"But I am having fun. Sitting here with you. Merlin, I cannot believe I just said that."

James grinned widely and put his arm over Lily's shoulder. "Who would've thought? James and Lily actually having fun together without anyone getting hurt."

Lily laughed. "If somebody had told me this would happen back in first-year, I'd have said they were mental."

"You know, Lil, there's been something I've been wanting to ask you—"

They were interrupted by the sound of someone being punched, silence and then—

"What the fuck is your problem, Sirius?" Marlene screeched.

"Him! He's my bloody problem!"

"What is wrong with you?"

"_Should we stop them?" _James whispered to Lily, ruffling his hair.

"_No. That would only make things worse," _she whispered back.

"If you thought I was going to stand there and watch him lock lips with you, then you're wrong! I can't believe I actually talked Remus into stopping me from shagging random girls when you obviously don't care who you snog!"

"_Where we that bad?"_

"_Worse."_

"What are you talking about? And why do you even care?"

"Because I—I fancy you, Marlene McKinnon!"

"_Wow. I never thought Sirius would actually say it_."

Marlene looked flustered. "No you don't. You're drunk. Talk to me when you're sober," she said finally.

"No I'm not—

"_He's really not."_

"I fancy you!"

There was a rustle of feet and then Marlene jumped on Sirius, taking him by surprise and they both tumbled to the ground, snogging each other feverishly.

Lily giggled. "I did not see that coming. Oh, I love that song! Come dance with me."

She pulled him onto the dance floor as the song _'Arms'_ by Chris and the Hippogriffs started playing. James placed his hands tentatively at her waist, smiling when she made no attempt at pulling away. She leaned her head against his shoulder as he pulled her into a slow waltz.

"Neither did I. How about me and you give that a try?" James asked, grinning at her.

"Deal. Let me just find someone incredibly handsome to snog."

"I am only standing right in front of you."

Lily laughed. "Is that my only option?"

"I'm afraid it is, Ms Evans."

And with that, James reached down and kissed her softly. She smiled against his lips, allowing herself to be absorbed in the moment and letting everything else fade away. For now, only she and James existed and they were all that mattered.


	22. Quidditch Match

**A/N: **I was bored in Psychology class, so I wrote this lol ...hope you guys like it! And I've noticed I don't really thank you guys for reviewing, but I just wanted to take the time to let you guys know that I really do appreciate it! Thank you all so much for taking the time to read the story and thanks for all the positive (and sometimes negative) feedback! You guys rock! :)

Chapter 22: Quidditch Match

The next morning found half the school moping around, suffering from one of the worst ailments known to teenagers: hangovers. Marlene lay on the table, sprawled out, her face rested on her empty plate. Lily seemed to be her usual cheery self, despite the mild throbbing sensation in her head.

"Merlin, I swear I am never ever going to drink again. Ever," Marlene groaned. "My head is killing me. It feels like it's about to explode."

"Aaw, is poor Marley hung-over?" Lily smirked, reaching over Marlene for a crumpet.

"She's not the only one," moaned Alice, who had her head in her hands. "I don't ever want to see alcohol again in my life. Ever."

"I've heard that before."

"I hate Firewhiskey. I absolutely hate it."

"And that."

"Sod off, Delilah," Emmeline growled.

"Oh, Em! Are you hung-over too?" she asked, a little louder than necessary.

The girls all glared at Lily and she burst out laughing, earning her more glares.

"I hate you, Lily."

"I love you, too, Mar," she grinned.

James walked into the Great Hall, followed by a grinning Sirius dragging a very miserable looking Remus. They walked over to the girls and took a seat next to them. James sat next to Lily and planted a quick kiss on her forehead, which would have received an enthusiastic reply from the girls, had they been feeling less sick. But as it was, only Marlene made a weak attempt to acknowledge it, before letting her head fall back to the table.

"What's wrong with them?"

"Hangover. Where's Peter?"

"Still emptying his stomach to the porcelain king. He's never been really good with Firewhiskey."

"And Frank? Where's Frank?" Alice asked, looking around for her boyfriend.

"Hospital Wing. Said he had a massive headache."

Alice stood up and went in search of him and Sirius turned to Marlene, grinning widely.

"Marley-bear! Just the person I was looking for!"

"Sod off, Sirius. Can't you see I'm busy feeling miserable?" she mumbled, not bothering to look up or snap at him for the ridiculous nickname.

He barked out a laugh and Marlene made a feeble attempt to smack him, but let her hand fall limply to the table.

"How come you're not feeling miserable like us, Sirius? You drank even more than I did."

"Oh, sweet, inexperienced, Emmeline. I have never gotten a hangover in my life."

"Yes you have."

"Nope."

"He hasn't. This bloke was born with alcohol running through his veins," James chuckled.

"Lucky bastard."

"Why don't you guys head over to Poppy and ask her to patch you up?"

"Oh, yes. '_Hey Pomfrey, how about giving us something for this bloody hangover?'_ That wouldn't get us all in trouble. No. I mean it's not like alcohol is prohibited on the school grounds or something," Remus snapped sarcastically.

"Alcohol? I hope I heard wrong, Mr Lupin," Professor McGonagall said, peering at them through her spectacles.

"Alcohol? Nah, we meant, er, manhole?"

They all turned to Sirius and have gave a weird look and he grinned sheepishly. _Manhole? Was he really that dense?_ Lily thought. Blimey, she could've thought of something much more clever than that.

"Right," Professor McGonagall said, giving him a strange look. "Well, Black, I just wanted to make sure you gave thought to what we discussed yesterday."

"As a matter of fact, I have, Minnie."

"And?"

"I'm sorry, Minnie but no. Just no. You cannot possibly expect me to apologise to that bloody git."

Professor McGonagall glared at him. "Then you very much well know the consequences," she replied before walking away.

"Padfoot, what was that about?"

"Minnie thinks that I should apologise to Snivellus. No, not thinks. Demands I do it, is more like it."

"And what where those consequences she was talking about?"

"She refuses to let me play in the next Quidditch match unless I do it," he said offhandedly. "Pass the butter will you, Lily-petal?"

"WHAT? Go apologise right now, Padfoot!"

"Keep your knickers on, Prongs! No way in hell am I ever going to apologise to that slimy git!"

"Yes you will!"

"And who's going to make me?"

"Me!"

"Ha! I'd like to see you try, Prongsie! Not only am I much more handsomer than you, I also happen to be much stronger!"

"OY! Shut up both of you before I tear your bloody heads off!" Emmeline snapped, sounding exasperated.

The chimes rang out, signalling the beginning of class, putting an end to their insanity. Marlene groaned, not wanting to go to class and Lily pulled her up, dragging her towards their Transfiguration class.

None of them noticed the glares coming from the Slytherin table as they walked past it. Severus Snape had been watching them intently, as was his custom. He felt a pang of rage as he watched James slid an arm over Lily's shoulders, pulling her close to him. And she was allowing it! She didn't even flinch, just smiled, like if there was nothing she wanted more than being close to that arrogant bastard! He couldn't believe it. James _Bloody_ Potter, of all people! Hadn't she hated him as much as he did? Didn't she know the hell Potter had made his life? What was she doing with him? He sat there, glaring at them long after they had gone, letting the rage and hatred flow through his veins. Potter wasn't going to get away with this. Of that he was sure.

* * *

The morning of the Quidditch match came quickly and the girls sat in their usual spot at the Gryffindor table, hearing James and Marlene pleading with Sirius. After a week of ranting on, demanding and practically dragging Sirius to apologise, James had finally given up and resorted to begging him to do it. But as always, Sirius was being stubborn.

"Padfoot…"

"No."

"Please, Padfoot."

"No."

"Come on, Sirius, darling. Just say you're bloody sorry. _Please_. For me," Marlene said, stroking his hair.

"Seeing as you asked nicely, Marley-bear…"

"So you'll do it?"

"No!"

Lily giggled at the glare Marlene was giving Sirius. He could be rather stubborn when he wanted to.

"You are bloody impossible Sirius Black!"

"I don't see what the bloody problem is! Marlene is a bloody brilliant beater and Roberts isn't so bad himself," said Sirius, gesturing to William Roberts, the team's reserve Beater. "I don't see why you need me!"

"Because we're a bloody team, you idiot! And when you're in a team, you make a commitment to stick with them through thick and thin! Now you're going to stand up and drag your arse over to Snape and apologise!"

"Beautiful. That was beautiful, Prongs," said Sirius, wiping fake tears from his eyes. "Say it one more time, but shake your fist this time."

James glared at Sirius and would have made an attempt to punch him, had it not been for Lily placing a hand on his shoulder. He seemed to relax a bit, but continued scowling at Sirius.

"Captain, er, shouldn't we get going?"

"Couldn't you have humoured him, Padfoot?" Remus asked after Marlene and James had left.

"Not a chance."

* * *

"Hello and welcome to the Quidditch Match you've all been waiting for! The long anticipated match between Gryffindor and Slytherswine! I am your commentator for today, the devilishly handsome, Sirius Black! Yes ladies and gentlemen! You heard right! The man of your dreams will be your host today! And why, you might ask, am I stuck up here rather than playing? Well you have Minnie to blame! It's her way of punishing me for not doing something rather despicable, so I'd rather not say what it was!"

"Black!"

"Oh, hi, Minnie. Nice to see you."

"Introduce the players so we can get started!"

"Alright, don't get your knickers in a twist! On this corner, we have those despicable Slytherins—"

"Black!"

"Captained by Arcturus Flint, the bloody git—"

"Black!

"Sorry, Minnie. Now, for the Slytherin Chasers we have Goyle—I swear he's part troll—Mulciber and that scary looking Greengrass girl, as well as that Nott bloke—he's actually not that bad, considering he's a Slytherin! The team's Beaters happen to be those two burly blokes Parkinson and McMillan—whoops! They're both girls you say? My mistake!"

"Black! Please restrain your comments to yourself! And did you even bother to learn their first names?"

"Nope, Minnie. I didn't. But they don't seem to mind! Look at the lovely hand gestures they're sending our way! And last but not least, I present to you my lovely, little brother—yes, that's right, we both share the same harpy mother—Regulus BLACK! Come on Gryffindor, let me hear those boos!"

Several enthusiastic boos escaped from the Gryffindors, as well as from the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, drowning out the cheers coming from the Slytherins.

"And on this corner, we have the Gryffindors! Captained by none other than—wait. Where in the name of Merlin's beard is James Potter?"

Several murmurs were heard throughout the stands as they became aware of the missing Gryffindor.

"Oh, I hope Lily can convince him."

* * *

Lily was standing in the locker rooms, trying to calm down a panicking James.

"James," she said, trying to get his attention

"Where's my lucky scarf?"

He was frantically rummaging through his locker, ignoring Lily. She could hear the cheers coming from the Quidditch Pitch already, meaning the game was about to start.

"James."

"Merlin, we're going to lose—"

"James!" she said a little louder, but James continued tearing down the locker room, intent on finding his scarf.

"—I just know it! First Sirius and know my bloody scarf! We're—"

Lily sighed and kissed him, silencing him at once. She smiled as he stared at her, completely taken by surprise.

"Now you listen to me, James Potter! You're going to get your arse out there and win this thing, you hear me?"

"Win?"

"Yes win! I know you can do it! You're the best bloody Chaser this school has ever seen!"

"The best?"

"Yes, the absolute best! Now get out there and kick some Slytherin arse!"

"Yeah! I am the best! I can do this!" said James, grinning widely. "But what if I can't?" he said, his smile fading.

"You can! I believe in you James! Now go get them!"

James nodded. He reached down and kissed Lily one more time. "For good luck," he said, winking at her before walking out the door.

* * *

"Ah, there he is! Ladies and gentleman, I give you James Potter, star Chaser! Followed by the lovely Alice Prewett and that charming Felicia Pearson! And serving as the teams Beaters we have _my_ lovely Marlene McKinnon—that's right _my_ Marley-bear—oh, look she's mouthing something at me. I love you too, Marley-bear! And serving as replacement for yours truly is William Roberts! And last but not least, we have Selene Wilson as the team's Seeker! Oh and Andrew Smith as the Keeper. Now how about we get this thing started and kick some Slytherswine ARSE?"

Several cheers rang out as the players mounted their brooms. Madam Hooch approached the two captains and went through the usual motions.

"And they're off, with Gryffindor in possession! There goes the lovely Alice Longbottom—you heard right! We all know what happened last Saturday, Ali—

"Black!"

"Sorry Minnie. Oh, look, she's doing the same lovely hand gestures as the Slytherins earlier… She's being tailed closely by that despicable Goyle bloke…Foul! I call foul! That cheating arse is Blagging! That despicable, scum-of-the-bloody-earth, son-of-a—"

"Black!"

"Snitch! Professor, he's Blagging! That's a foul!"

"It's not your call!"

Madam Hooch blew her whistle and called both Captains over. There was some shouting as James waved his arms around angrily and—

"It's a foul! Penalty for Gryffindor. Potter takes it and—Gryffindor scores! Of course he does! He's bloody James Potter! First score of the match! Greengrass takes it, passes it to Mulciber—and nice steal from Pearson! Now Gryffindors in the lead—and she scores! 20:0!

"Slytherin has the ball now…they're getting quite close to the posts and Goyle _scores_! What the bloody hell, Smith! Get your damn head—

"Black! You're supposed to remain unbiased!"

"Sorry Minnie. So now it's 20:10, thanks to that bloody Smith—

"Black," Professor McGonagall warned.

"Not that it's his fault. I mean anyone can get distracted. And Prewett has the ball once more…she's being tailed by Goyle again…and nice one Marlene! And their goes that half-troll of a man flying across the pitch! Knocked him out, she did! Lovely, Marley-bear. Just lovely. One Slytherin down, six more to go!

"Black!"

"Sorry Minnie. She passes the ball to Potter and he scores! He SCORES! That brings the score up to 30:10! Good job, mate. And there goes Greengrass again heading towards the posts once more…she's getting awfully close…someone stop her! Throw that Bludger at her Roberts! No, don't flinch away from it! What in the name of Merlin's left testi—

"Black!"

"—cle is your bloody problem! Hit it I tell you! And she…drops the Quaffle, thank Merlin! Oh, Minnie you twisted lady! This is torture! Gryffindor in possession once more, no thanks to you, stupid third-year!

"Black, I'm warning you!"

"I'm sorry Minnie! But I can't take it! And there goes Potter…passes the ball to Prewett, who passes it to Pearson, avoiding a Bludger just in time…and she scores again! 40:10! And Slytherins back in possession…Greengrass passes it to Nott, who passes it to Mulciber…back to Notts…and he _scores_. Oh no! The score's now 40:20! I daresay, what are those Seekers waiting for? Are they even _alive_? Wait, yes they are. Black's picking his nose. And no, it's not me, I meant the less attractive one.

"Black!"

"Potter's got the ball once more…Mulciber right behind him…and nice throw by McKinnon! Oh! She didn't knock him out…And he sends the ball down to Prewett! That's called Porskoff Play, ladies and gentlemen! Prewett has the ball…she passes it to Pearson…back to Potter…and Potter scores! He scores! 50:20! Those Slytherins sure look mad.

"Slytherin again in possession…Nott has it, throws it to Greengrass…and Prewett intercepts it! Nice one, Ali! Oh no, those Slytherin Beaters are attempting the Dopplebeater Defence…and she does the Sloth Grip Roll just in time! Too bad she dropped that Quaffle. Nott has the ball once again…is he going to score? And…no! Smith blocks it! Just in time!

"Flint doesn't look too happy about that…Greengrass has the ball again…and damn it! She scores. 50:30! Come on Gryffindor! Wait! What's this ladies and gentlemen? Wilson is diving! Looks like she's seen the Snitch! And…she pulls up just in time! Ingenious! That's the Wronski Feint, to all who don't know! Oh, poor Black! That must've hurt…maybe it'll fix your face baby brother!

"Black!"

"Wait! What's this? She _has_ seen the Snitch...Merlin's beard! Is she going to get it? Is she? And…she does! 200:30! Gryffindor wins! GRYFFINDOR WINS!"

Cheers erupted around the stand and the Slytherins scowled, shouting obscenities at the celebrating party.

"GRYFFINDOR WINS! GO GRYFFINDOR! GO GRYFFINDOR!"

"Um, Minnie…?"

"What Black? Can't you see I'm celebrating? GO GRYFFINDOR! Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to find Professor Slughorn."

"Well, it's been an interesting match ladies and gentlemen! But don't expect me to continue commentating! I am a bloody Beater after all. Now how about we go celebrate? Party in the Gryffindor Common Room! Drinks are on me!"


	23. First Date

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and I'm happy that so many of you liked my last chapter :) I hope you guys like this one too!

Chapter 23: First Dates

"So, you and James?" Alice asked Lily before taking a swig of Firewhiskey and passing it to Lily.

They were currently sitting in a secluded corner of the Common Room, away from the party, taking drinks straight from the bottle. Although they had opted for a 'girls night only', which meant no boys were allowed near them, that hadn't stopped them from constantly nagging Lily about her relationship with James.

"I thought this was a girls night only, which according to you means no talking to or about boys is allowed."

"Oh, but Lils, we haven't talked, I mean _really_ talked in ages. Mary's always with Remus and Alice spends nearly all of her time with Frank. You spend all your free time in the library and when we're able to finally be together, the boys are nearly always around. And besides, you can't blame us for being curious about your relationship with James."

"Oh, well, we're friends."

"Right, Lily. 'Friends'," Marlene said with a wink

"Yes, just friends."

Emmeline snorted. "I don't know about you, but I rarely ever am _that_ affectionate with _my_ friends. Don't insult our intelligence, Rose. We very much know he's your boyfriend."

"But we really are just friends," she replied, blushing furiously.

"Are you telling me that James hasn't asked you out yet?"

"Well, we did have that sort of date last weekend."

"That doesn't count."

"Then no, I guess he hasn't asked me out yet."

"Sweet Merlin, that boy's an idiot," Alice said, shaking her head.

"Who's an idiot?" James asked, coming up from behind them.

"You are."

"I agree with you there, Marley-bear," Sirius said, walking up behind James, followed by Peter, Frank and Remus.

"Call me that one more time, _darling_, and I will hurt you. Severely," Marlene said through gritted teeth, causing Sirius to bark out a laugh.

"What are you boys doing here, anyway? I thought I had made it clear when I said it was a girl's night only."

"We missed you girls," James replied, before turning to Marlene. "How exactly am I an idiot?"

"Well, let's see. You've already snogged Lily at least two times—that we know of."

"You've somehow managed to get her to like you, which is a big improvement given that she hated your guts for the last five years. Sorry but it's true."

"You've actually managed to talk to her without having her hex you or want to murder you, which let's face it, we thought was never going to happen, sweetie."

"Yet you still haven't had the decency to ask her out. That, my dear James, is why you're an idiot."

"Well maybe I don't want to ruin things between us," James said defensively. "In case you girls forgot, I used to ask her out every single day for the past five years and it never worked."

"Yes, but that was because you were an idiot, sweetie."

"And rather cocky, I might add," said Mary with a small laugh.

"He still is sometimes," Marlene said with a smirk.

"Yes, but he's far more likable now, don't you think?"

"I agree. I think his head is starting to deflate already."

"Yes. He's definitely maturing."

"Oh, definitely. I've stopped having the urge to feed him to the Giant Squid."

"Merlin, remember when you hexed him into the lake?"

"Oh, I remember that! It was back in second-year wasn't it?"

"Yes! What did he do again that annoyed you, sweetie?"

"I don't remember. I think I was just in a bad mood that day."

"I think it was when he charmed the flowers he gave you into spitting goo in your face."

"No, I don't think that was it."

"Didn't he charm your Transfiguration book to shout out 'Mrs James Potter' whenever you opened it during class?"

"I think we poured itching powder all over his robes, for that didn't we?"

"Yes, you girls did. And you hexed Prongs into the lake when he asked you out, saying that he was the best you could do."

"Oh, that's right! I remember now."

James' face grew red and he cleared his throat uncomfortably. He didn't need reminder of what a fool he had been for the past five years.

"Are you guys finished?" he asked, running a hand through his hair.

"Aw, does Jamsie not want to hear what an idiot he's been?"

"Sod off, Padfoot."

"Look, sweetie, as much as we enjoy reminiscing your foolish ways, either you ask Lily out or you boys can be on your way."

James hesitated, stealing a glance at Lily, who was watching him with an amused smile on her face. He didn't really want to face another rejection, but what was one more? Maybe this time, she would actually say yes. It didn't hurt to try.

"I—er—Lily, would you go out with me?" he asked, half-expecting her usual rejection.

"Yes."

"Are you guys—what?" he asked, looking at her incredulously, which caused her to let out a small laugh.

"I said yes, James. I would love to go on a date with you."

"Well, then, I guess it's a date," he said, grinning widely. He reached over for Lily's hand and squeezed it softly.

"Blimey mate! She actually said yes!" Sirius said, clapping him on the back.

"This calls for a celebration," Marlene announced, conjuring ten shot glasses and filling them to the top.

"To James for finally winning our Lily's heart and to Lily for finally admitting she's always fancied James."

They downed their shots and Lily smiled, rolling her eyes, before following suit.

"Fill 'er up again, Marls."

"What for?"

"We haven't celebrated our awesome defeat against the Slytherswines."

Marlene smirked and filled everyone's glass again. And they continued like that, taking any excuse to celebrate with another shot of Firewhiskey. By the end of the night, Lily couldn't even remember her name.

* * *

When Lily woke the next day, she felt like if her head was about to explode. She faintly remembered James asking her out. Still half-asleep, she raised her head an inch, peering out the window. The sky outside was faintly light, slowly welcoming the morning. She settled her head back to her pillow, groaning slightly. Why, in the name of Merlin's beard, had she drank so much Firewhiskey?

She lay in bed, trying to go back to sleep. Finally, she accepted the fact that sleep was not coming, so she stood up. She took a quick shower and changed into her favourite sweater and a pair of jeans before walking down the stairs into the Common Room. She walked over to her favourite seat and found it already occupied. James was sprawled on it, his eyes closed, a serene look on his face.

"Morning, Lily," he said, before opening his eyes.

"How did you know it was me?"

James shrugged, smiling at her. He sat up, allowing her to take a seat next to him.

"So how are you feeling?"

"Horrible," she replied, resting her head on his shoulder.

James laughed. "I imagine. I've never seen you drink so much. How about we head down to the Hall? I reckon you'll feel better after you've had a good breakfast . Unless you want to try Sirius' way and have another shot of Firewhiskey."

"Merlin, no. I'd rather head down for breakfast."

James smiled and held his hand out, which Lily took instantly. They walked down the corridors, talking about nothing in particular. James had just finished telling Lily about the time when he had tricked Sirius into snogging a pig, when they heard a cold voice behind them.

"So, it is true. You and Potter."

"Talking about swine."

"The only swine I see here is you, Potter," Severus said icily, his cold eyes still on Lily.

"Oh, I don't know, Snape. You might want to take a good look at yourself in the mirror one of these days."

Severus took out his wand and pointed it at James, but he just stood there, a calm look on his face.

"You're going to hex me, Snape? Come on then. Have a go."

"Not going to fight back, Potter? I'm surprised. I was under the impression that you were a coward."

"Will you stop it? You're pathetic, Severus. Pathetic. Come on James lets go," Lily said, pulling James' hand.

"Oh. I get it. You pick this git over me," he said coldly.

"There was never much choice about it. We're not friends anymore, Snape. I thought I had made that perfectly clear."

Snape grabbed Lily's arm angrily. "Listen to me, Lily. He's not good for you!"

James made an angry attempt to pull out his wand, but Lily stopped him. She gave him a pleading look, before turning to Severus.

"What do you care, Snape? You have absolutely no right to tell me who's good for me and who isn't," she replied, pulling her arm away. "Just leave me alone, will you?"

"He'll hurt you! And when he does I won't be there for you!"

"Well, then I think I'll take my chances. After all, I did with you, didn't I?" Lily said coolly before walking away, pulling James after her, leaving Snape to glare after them.

As soon as they were out of earshot, James stopped and dropped Lily's hand. He gently grabbed her shoulders turned her until she was facing him and cupped her chin, lifting her face to meet his eyes. She looked up at him and smiled sadly.

"I will never hurt you, Lily Evans," he said kissing her forehead gently. She smiled, placing her head against his chest.

"I know you won't," she said softly. "And if you ever did, the girls would kill you."

James laughed and grabbed her hand again and the two made their way into the Great Hall.

It was mostly deserted, save for a few Ravenclaws. They made their way towards the Gryffindor table to their usual spot, and sat down. James seemed reluctant to let go of Lily's hand, which made trying to eat breakfast a bit of an ordeal. After spilling pumpkin juice all over himself and dropping two pieces of toast, much to Lily's amusement, James finally let go of her hand.

"Stupid pumpkin juice," James muttered trying to clean the mess up with a napkin.

"Oh, goodness, James, it looks like you wet yourself," Lily said laughing. "Here let me try." She took out her wand and pointed at his pants, sending James into a panic.

"Wait! No! I think I'd rather leave it like that. I actually don't mind it."

"James Potter, will you hold still? I know what I am doing."

"I know you do! But, it's just that—"

"Wow. You guys have been having a little too much fun," Marlene said, grinning.

Lily looked up to see her friends gathered around her.

"I'll say," Alice said, taking a seat besides Lily.

"What are you girls doing here?"

"Oh, well, _sorry_. I didn't know we were unwanted."

"It's not that. I meant, what are you girls doing here so early? I thought you'd still be asleep, given the amount of Firewhiskey we drank yesterday."

"Oh. Well, we missed you Lily! Without your insufferable snoring, I just couldn't stay asleep. And don't remind me about that, I'm still trying to remember what happened last night."

"You snore?" James said, laughing.

"I most certainly do not snore," Lily said indignantly, feeling her face grow red.

"You most certainly do! Sometimes I wonder how such a big noise can come out of such a small person," Emmeline said, reaching over the table to help herself to Lily's toast.

"Like you don't snore."

"Yes, but my snore's are soft and sweet."

"Unlike you, whose snores would make any dragon tremble with fear," Mary added, grinning.

"Sod off."

"So, James," Alice said, turning to look at James. "What have you got planned for your date with Lily?"

"I, er, have something planned," he said, brushing a nervous hand through his hair.

Alice nodded, looking at him thoughtfully. She turned to Lily and said, "Sweetie, would you mind disappearing for a few minutes? We've got to help James impress you."

Lily looked at them huffily. They just grinned innocently, looking at her expectantly.

"Fine," she said, standing up.

She made her way to the Ravenclaw table, where her friends Hestia Jones and Dorcas Meadowes were waving her over, wearing identical grins on their faces.

"Tell us everything," said Dorcas.

"And don't spare any details."

"About what?" Lily said innocently.

"About you and James, of course!"

"Oh, well, there's nothing to say, really. He just asked me out on a date."

"And you said yes this time, right?"

"Of course she did, Hest. Didn't you see them? Oh, Merlin, I always knew you two would end up together! I mean, James has obviously always fancied you and we all knew you fancied James too. Except James, of course."

"How did you girls know?"

"Girl, only a blind person could've missed it. I can't believe it took you nearly six years to realise that."

"I've always thought you two would make the cutest couple. He really does care about you, you know. You can see it by the way he looks at you."

The three of them turned to the Gryffindor table. James was brushing his hand through his hair, while the girls ignored him, too engrossed with planning their date. James looked up at them and he grinned at her.

There was so much love in his eyes, that Lily wondered how she had ever missed it. She had always thought that James' feelings for her where only a passing obsession that would eventually fade away. But time had proved her wrong. Even when she had continuously pushed him away, James had held his ground and managed to find a way in. And she was grateful for that.

* * *

"Hold still, Lily," Mary scolded, holding a hairpin between her lips. "I'm almost finished with your hair."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I don't understand why you girls are so keen on making me look _nice_. I've known James for six years. Why would he care what I bloody look like?"

"It's your first date, sweetie. Now shut up and put this on," she said, throwing her a green tunic sweater and black leggings. "Oh, and you can wear my heels."

"You're bonkers if you think I am wearing them, Ali."

"Fine. Wear your boots. Just hurry up! We've got five minutes."

Lily rolled her eyes and stripped off her clothing. After six years of living with the girls, they had gotten used to seeing each other with very little clothing. She took her time redressing, much to Alice's annoyance, who kept huffing under her breath. As soon as she had finished zipping up her boots, Alice yanked her out of her bed and dragged her down the stairs, where James was already waiting, surrounded by the boys.

"Ah, there she is! Looking as radiant as ever, I might add," Sirius said with a small wink.

Lily smiled and turned to James who was smiling at her, his soft hazel eyes never leaving her green ones.

"You look beautiful, Lily," he said, picking up a stray hair that had made it out of her messy bun and placing it behind her ear. He let his had rest against her cheek and they stared into each other's eyes, forgetting everyone around them.

"Ahem, I'm sorry to interrupt you two lovebirds, but will you two hurry up? I didn't spend all day planning this for nothing!"

James laughed and grabbed Lily's hand and the two of them made their way out of the Common Room.

"I can't believe it," Mary said with a dreamy smile, "after six years, James has finally done it. He's finally won our Lily's heart."

The girls nodded, staring after them, satisfied smiles on all their faces.

"It's a shame we won't be able to see their first date," Emmeline said with a sigh.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Sirius said with a mischievous grin.

"No, Padfoot," Remus said sternly, but the girls looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean—oh," Alice said, noticing the silvery cloak he had extracted from his pocket.

"Oh, indeed. What do you guys say we go and check on them?"

* * *

James led Lily up the stairs, to the Astronomy Tower, where a blanket was spread out, a picnic basket set on top of it. A single white lily was placed in a vase and Lily smiled. The sunset was just setting, giving it a romantic feeling.

"Oh, James," she breathed as she took a seat next to him.

"Do you like it?" James asked, running a hand through his hair.

"Like it? I love it," she replied, smiling at him.

They both sat in silence, Lily's head resting on his shoulder, as they stared at the disappearing sun.

"We're right behind you, mate," a voice whispered in his ear, making him jump.

"What's wrong, James?"

"Nothing, Lily. Er—should we eat?"

"Sounds good to me," she said with a shrug and began unpacking the picnic basket.

He glanced behind him, convinced he was going mad. It couldn't have been Sirius. After all, he had his Invisibility Cloak with him, didn't he? He reached down to his pocket, where he always kept it, only to find that it wasn't there.

"Idiot," James murmured under his breath.

"I'm sorry?"

"I think I dropped something on our way here. You wouldn't mind me going down for it, would you?"

"No, of course not," she said uncertainly.

He nodded and turned to the spot he knew Sirius was standing. "Come. Now," he hissed, loud enough for him to hear.

"You bloody morons," he said after they were outside. "What in the bloody hell are you idiots doing here?"

Sirius threw off the cloak and barked out a laugh.

"Oh, James. You are so romantic," Sirius said, pitching his voice high, like a girl's.

"Sod off, Padfoot. What are you idiots doing here?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Hey, I'm not an idiot," Frank said indignantly. "After years of hearing you obsess over Lily, did you really think I was going to be left out?"

"Oh, sweetie. You can't blame us for being a bit curious on how your date is going," Alice said, throwing off the cloak, too.

"You girls are here too? I would have expected this from these morons but _you_?"

"Of course we are. You thought we were going to let these guys have all the fun?" Marlene said, winking at him.

"How did you all fit under there?"

"Oh, we just used a simple _Engorgio_ spell. And don't be mad James, we're just trying to help you."

"I don't need your help!"

"Tsk, tsk. Bad Prongsie. Leaving Lily in there alone. You know, I'm starting to think you need some help from Dr Black, love expert."

"The only thing you're an expert at is being an arse."

"Ouch, mate. That hurt," Sirius said in mock offence.

"Come on, James. Let us watch. We promise not to make a sound."

"What? No! Go away! And give me back my Cloak!"

"But then we wouldn't be able to sneak back in!"

"That's kind of the point, Wormtail," said Remus. "James is right. We should go."

"Finally, someone with sense!"

"No, I don't think so, Moony. I want to see how Jamsie's date turns out."

"Go away, Padfoot," James growled dangerously. "I'm warning you."

"Oh, Prongsie. You look so cute when you're mad."

They all turned to look at Sirius, giving him strange looks.

"What?" he said defensively. "Can't a guy tell his mate that? You girls do it all the time!"

"Yes, but that's because we're _girls_. Coming out of a guy's mouth, it sounds a bit _gay_."

"I meant it in a non-homosexual way!"

"Right, Pads. Sure you did."

"I'm not gay! I have a girlfriend!"

"Oh, Merlin. My boyfriend's gay. I should've known," Marlene said, feigning shock.

"Yeah, and even she thinks you're gay. Look sweetie, we don't mind. We accept you the way you are. After all, you can't help it."

"I'm not gay!"

"Look mate, I don't have time to discuss your sexuality. Just give me back my Invisibility Cloak and LEAVE!"

"James, is everything alright?" Lily's voice came from inside.

"Yeah, I'm coming," he called. He lowered his voice down and turned to his friends. "Leave. Now," he hissed.

"Killjoy," Alice said. "Come on, girls."

They turned to leave, much to James' relief. Only Marlene and Sirius stayed behind, the latter pouting at him.

"What, Padfoot? Are you waiting for me to snog you or something?"

"I'm not GAY!"

Marlene laughed and grabbed his hand. "Of course you're not, Siri. Come on, let's leave these two lovebirds alone."

"But I'm not gay!"

James chuckled softly as he slipped into the room. Instead of seeming annoyed, Lily was smiling at him.

"Sorry about that."

"Did you get rid of them?"

"I er—how did you know?"

"James, you're forgetting that I've known these people for six-years. And I heard you arguing with them."

James laughed and he took a seat next to her. As they ate, Lily told him about her parents, her relationship with her sister, and about her childhood in general—leaving out the bits that included Snape, of course. James listened intently, completely enthralled by this new information Lily was sharing with him.

"Anyway, enough about me. I'm more curious to know about the famous James Potter," she said with a smile, doing that thing girls do with their eyebrows, which James had always found fascinating.

"Well, I'm an only child. But I've always wanted a younger brother," James said, running a hand through his hair.

"Is that why you seem so fond of Harrison?" she asked. Ever since meeting the small boy, James had seemed to take an instant like towards him and had taken him under his wing, so to speak.

"Yeah. When I was smaller, I used to pray for a brother every night. I even had a name picked out for him."

"Oh, I want to know what it is," she said, smiling at him.

"Harry," James said, smiling sheepishly. "It's been my favourite name."

"Harry Potter. I like it," she said, grinning. "It has a nice ring to it."

"Yeah, I guess it does. Anyway, my parents had always wanted a child, but they were unsuccessful. Just as they were about to give up, my mum found out she was pregnant. They were a bit older when it happened too. I was their 'perfect, little surprise', at least that's what mum always says."

"No wonder you were so spoiled," she teased and James let out a small laugh. "What do your parents do for a living? I know your dad is Head Auror, but what does your mum do?"

"They're both Aurors. Well, Dad is. Mum retired after she had me. But before that, she had a lot of different jobs," James said.

He told her all about his mum's past jobs and Lily listened, completely fascinated. James talked about her with such reverence that Lily found it endearing. She had never met Mrs Potter, but already she liked her.

"You're mum sounds like an amazing woman," said Lily, after James had stopped talking.

"She is," he said with a smile. "You'll love her."

Lily laughed. "I already do."

"Should we head back? It's getting a little late," James said, a bit reluctantly.

"I guess."

They packed away their stuff in comfortable silence. James held out his hand and Lily took it. They made their way down the stairs, toward the Gryffindor Common Room, coming only to a stop once they were in front of the Fat Lady's portrait.

"Thank you, James."

"For what?"

"For everything."

James smiled down at her. They very well knew what was coming next, but James was holding back, teasing her. Lily sighed exasperatedly and James grinned widely.

"Just kiss me already, you idiot."

James reached down to kiss her, but before he could touch her lips, a bloodcurdling scream rang out from somewhere near them. They both froze and Lily looked at him, terror evident in her eyes. Before Lily could stop him, James was already down the corridor, wand out and ready to attack.

**A/N: **_-Cue the suspense music- _What will happen next? Any guesses? No? Then I guess you guys are just going to have to wait! I'm evil, I know lol I'll try to update soon though


	24. Midnight Duel

**A/N:** Short, I know, but I just couldn't resist posting it up already :) Enjoy and thank you all for the reviews!

Chapter 24: Midnight Duel

_Before Lily could stop him, James was already running down the corridor, wand out and ready to attack. _Andbefore she knew what she was doing, she whipped out her own wand and hurried up after him.

"James!" she called.

He whipped around, anger evident in his eyes, but when he saw her his gaze softened.

"Lily, go. Back to the Common Room. Now," he said, his voice urgent.

"No, James," she said. "I'm not going anywhere."

James looked as he was about to protest, but another scream rang throughout the castle. He hesitated before grabbing her hand and they both ran down the corridor, in the direction of the scream.

As they rounded a corner, they heard voices and James came to a sudden halt, nearly making Lily tumble down in the process. He brought his hand to his lips, signalling for her to remain silent and from his pocket he extracted a silvery cloak. Ignoring her questioning look, he threw it over them, making them disappear almost instantly.

She had no time to question him about his Invisibility Cloak, however, because he was already motioning for her to follow him. She nodded and both of them made their way cautiously down the corridor, trying not to make a sound.

They were able to make out three figures standing, with their backs to them, over a small body, shielding it from their sight.

"Not so tough are you now, filthy half-blood?" a cold voice sneered. Lily instantly recognised the voice. It belonged to Mulciber.

"Be quiet, Bellatrix!" a second voice spoke.

_Bellatrix_? No, that couldn't be. That was Mulciber…wasn't it?

"Don't say my name you idiot! You'll blow our cover!"

Lily and James exchanged an incredulous look. What was Bellatrix Lestrange doing inside Hogwarts? And, most importantly, how had she managed to get in?

"Thanks to your imprudence someone must've heard us already! The Dark Lord's orders were specific: teach that old hag a lesson. If you know what's good for you, you'll be quiet!" the second voice growled.

"Don't you dare threaten me you filthy, insolent fool!" she snarled. With a flick of her wand the unknown figure fell to their knees, withering in pain. She turned to someone and yelled, "You!"

"Yes?" a familiar voice spoke, from the shadows.

Lily frowned. She knew that voice. He stepped out and Lily instantly recognised him. _Severus_. Up until that point, a small part of her wished that Severus would see the wrong of his ways and abandon the Dark Arts. But now, that possibility seemed foolish, even to her. She felt James squeeze her hand.

"Go on, finish him. It is time you prove your worthiness to our cause."

Severus raised his wand and pointed it down to the whimpering figure. But before the curse could leave his lips, he was interrupted by James, who had thrown the Cloak off.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Snape," he growled angrily.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Blood-Traitor Potter and his Mudblood girlfriend," Bellatrix-Mulciber sneered.

"Don't call her that!" James yelled angrily, pointing his wand at the figure in front of him.

"_Crucio_!"

"_Stupefy_!"

The spell hit Avery in the shoulder and he toppled over, completely unconscious. Bellatrix snarled before pointing her wand at Lily.

"_Crucio_!" she yelled, but Lily was faster and jumped out of the way, just in time.

"_Everte Statum!" _

"_Crucio!"_

"_Stupefy!"_

"_Confringo!"_

Spell after spell was thrown at her and she evaded them, sometimes by mere inches, retaliating with some of her own. She wondered why no one had come yet to their aid. Surely someone had heard them? She sent another spell flying at Bellatrix, but she dodged it. She noticed the unknown figure had disappeared, but she had no time to ponder on it however, because in that split second of distraction, Bellatrix sent another spell flying at her and it hit her.

A familiar searing pain coursed through her body and Lily fell to the ground, her legs giving out to the pain. Over and over she felt as if a thousand white knives were piercing every inch of her and it took her all her willpower to refrain herself from shouting. She didn't want to give Bellatrix the satisfaction of seeing just how much she was hurting her. She felt tears streaming down her face as the pain grew stronger.

James turned to look at her, not caring if he had left himself unprotected. Severus took the opportunity to point his wand at James and aimed a hex at him repeatedly, hitting him effectively across the chest. James stumbled back, blood rushing from the gashes the spell had produced. Severus stood over him, an odd satisfied smile on his face.

As soon as the pain had come it had stopped and she heard footsteps running away from them. Even though she would have liked nothing more than to give in to the pain, she willed herself to hold on, for James. Summoning all her strength, she dragged herself to where he was laying. He was completely white, his shirt soaked with blood. She ignored the trembling in her body and fought back tears as she pointed her wand at him, silently thanking the heavens for having an aspiring Healer as a friend.

"_Vulnera Sanentur," _she whispered softly, repeating the incantation the needed three times, for full effect.

James made a feeble attempt to raise, but Lily pushed him down gently. He opened his mouth to speak, but Lily placed a finger to his lips, silencing him.

"No, James. Don't strain yourself," she said softly.

A whimper drew her attention and she remember why they were there in the first place. She reluctantly drew herself away from him and dragged herself to the small figure. She instantly recognised the untidy mass of curly black hair. She muffled a sob as she touched his shoulder softly and Harrison cowered away from her.

"Sh, Harrison. It's okay," she whispered.

The small boy turned to her and relief washed over his face, before clinging onto her neck. She could feel him shaking and she held him tightly, whispering softly as she caressed his hair. The sound of footsteps behind them made Lily turn, wand raised. The approaching figure raised their hand, gesturing they meant no harm. She lowered it, recognising Auror Kirby, followed closely by Professor McGonagall, who looked ashen.

"Oh, thank Merlin," was all she said, before darkness engulfed her.

* * *

When next she woke, she was in an unfamiliar bed. She tried to sit up, but an aching pain made her fall back to the bed. She felt someone's gaze on her and she turned, relieved to see James. She opened her mouth to speak, but James brought a finger to his lips, silencing her. She could make out voices now and she listened intently, trying to make out what was being said.

"But why did they attack him, Albus?"

Lily heard Dumbledore sigh heavily. "Surely you know the boy's Aunt, Minerva?"

"You mean Eunice?"

"The very one. It seems Voldemort has shown interest in her. Naturally, she declined. I believe this was just his way of retaliating against her."

"But he possess no harm! I mean, he's just a boy!"

"An disposable one at that, according to Voldemort."

"What will happen to those involved, Albus?"

"I have yet to see. First, I must speak with Mr Potter and Ms Evans."

"Surely it can wait?"

"I'm afraid it can't, Minerva."

And with that, Professor Dumbledore drew back the shades that were separating them, followed by Professor McGonagall.

"Would either of you care to explain what happened?"

"I don't know, Professor. All I know is that we heard screaming and found them attacking him," she said, gesturing to Harrison's sleeping figure besides her. "James confronted them and they attacked us."

"They? Who's they?" McGonagall asked.

"I don't know. I only recognised three of them. The fourth one was well hidden and I couldn't make out his face."

"Who were they?"

"Snape, Avery, and—and Mulciber."

She was tempted to reveal that it had been Bellatrix, not Mulciber, but she was starting to think that she had imagined it all. Surely it hadn't been Bellatrix who attacked them? Professor Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully.

Professor Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully, the usual twinkle in his piercing blue eyes gone, leaving behind only anger and something akin to disappointment.

"Very well. I suggest you two get to rest. I've got matters to attend," he said heavily.

And with a swish of his cloak, he had gone, followed closely by Professor McGonagall, leaving them both alone. James let his head fall back against her pillow and closed his eyes. The silence of the night was interrupted by the sound of a bed creaking and soft footsteps. James opened his eyes and hazel met green.

"Lily?"

"Scoot over, James," she said softly.

He gave her a questioning look, but moved over, making enough space for her. She laid down next to him, resting her head against his chest. James smiled and he gathered her in his arms, resting his head against her fiery mass of red curls, before dozing off into a peaceful sleep.

**A/N:** Any guesses on who the mysterious person might be? I'll give you all a hint: you've definitely met them before


	25. The Aftermath

**A/N: **It's a fairly short and there's not much Lily and James action in this chapter, so feel free to ignore it if you like lol I just felt like I had to get it out of the way, before continuing. I'll make sure to post up the next chapter pretty soon to make up for this short chapter, maybe tonight or tomorrow, but I can't make any promises (yeah, I know, college sucks) Anyway, thank you all for your reviews! Lots of love to everyone who keeps reviewing and following this story :)

Chapter 25: The Aftermath

"Would you be kind enough to explain the events of tonight?" Professor Dumbledore asked calmly, although the livid look in his eyes told another story.

The young Slytherin sat in stony silence, staring straight ahead, ignoring Dumbledore's piercing glares. He let his eyes wander around the Headmaster's Office, slightly bored. What was the old man trying to get at? Surely he knew that he wasn't going to talk? Why couldn't he just punish him, expel him or do whatever the hell he was going to do with him?

Snape heard Dumbledore sigh heavily and he allowed his eyes to flicker over the old man, before averting his gaze elsewhere.

"It has come to my attention that tonight you have acted out in accordance to Lord Voldemort's orders," Dumbledore said finally. "That you are now considering becoming one of his many followers."

Severus stared straight ahead, neither confirming nor denying it. He heard Dumbledore sigh again.

"Why, Mr Snape?"

He remained silent. The old man wouldn't understand. _She_ was quickly coming to the attention of the Dark Lord. He knew that much. He had heard Avery telling Mulciber about it. He couldn't let that happen. Which is why he had accepted their offer. He needed to protect her. That and the opportunity of finally being able to get back at _Potter_. Dumbledore sighed yet again, much to his annoyance. Couldn't the old man just get on with it and let him be on his way?

Finally accepting the fact that Severus would not speak, he said, "Very well. For your actions today, you will serve a daily detention starting now until further notice. Your Hogsmeade visits will be revoked and you will be escorted to all your classes. You may not leave your Common Room unless accompanied by a member of our staff. Do you understand?"

Severus gave him a curt nod, avoiding his gaze. He stood up and made for the door, not waiting to be dismissed.

"You don't have to do this, Severus," he said quietly. "There are other options."

Out of all the things the old man had said, this one surprised him. It wasn't just what he said, it was more of _how_ he said it. Almost as if Dumbledore actually cared about him. Like he actually understood his situation and wanted to help him. But no. He was being foolish. When had the old man done anything to help him? Never.

As if reading his thoughts, Dumbledore replied, "Help has always been offered, Severus. You need only accept it."

Severus turned to glare at the Headmaster before exiting his office. He knew very well that nobody could help him now. Not when he had already sold his soul to the Dark Lord.

* * *

The next morning, Lily awoke rather early, just as the sky was gradually changing from a hazy orange to its normal blue hue. She felt a pair of strong arms wrapped protectively around her waist and she smiled, tilting her head to look up at James' sleeping figure. But that smile soon disappeared when she realised that she had found herself in a rather tight situation. Try as she might, she she couldn't seem to wriggle out of James' grasp. He just seemed to tighten his grasp and pull her closer. She sighed and decided to do the only thing she knew would wake him up. She kissed him.

That definitely seemed to do the trick, because the next thing she knew, James had unclasped his hands from her waist in pleasant surprise. He reached for his glasses and turned to her, a rather happy smile on his otherwise sleepy face.

"I could definitely get used to waking up like that," he said groggily, brushing a strand of red hair from her face and she smiled, resting her cheek against his hand.

"Oh, good, you two are up," Madam Pomfrey said, making her jump out of his bed.

Lily blushed furiously, wondering whether Madam Pomfrey had noticed anything. The nurse however made not mention about it. Lily made her way towards her own bed and allowed Madam Pomfrey to check her over, closing the curtain for privacy.

"How's Harrison?" she asked worriedly, as she glanced to her left, where the young boy's sleeping figure lay.

Madame Pomfrey looked at her hesitantly. After a while she said, "He'll be alright, dear. Might be out for a couple of hours or even days, but he'll be alright. He's a strong boy."

Lily nodded, biting her lip. "And James? He'll be okay, right?"

"James'll be fine. You saved his life, you know," she said, smiling sympathetically. "I suspect you two can return to class today. If you're feeling up to it, of course."

"Thank, Merlin. I don't really want to miss class."

Madam Pomfrey chuckled gently before leaving her. As soon as Madam Pomfrey had made sure that James was indeed alright and she had reassured them that Harrison would be okay, they had both been allowed to return to class. Outside they were met by their best friends; there was a rather teary reunion by the girls' part.

They were quickly filled in on the sudden new changes the school had undergone. Although they had only been away overnight, they were surprised to hear that Dumbledore had implemented many changes. Among them seemed to be the growing number of Aurors that were now stationed around the school. And while they had kept mostly to the grounds, they were now patrolling the corridors, growling at students to get to class.

Prefect patrolling would now have to be done in the company of either an Auror or a member of the staff. And although the older students had always enjoyed a few extra hours of roaming the castle after dinner, their curfew had been lifted and they were now forced to be in their Common Rooms right after supper. Not a minute more. James groaned at this fact, but Lily supposed it was for the best.

After three days, Harrison had finally been released from the infirmary, much to the Gryffindors' relief. They decided to throw a party, in his honour. Upon learning of the party, the young boy had burst into tears. Never before had anyone showed such kindness and interest towards him.

* * *

Neither Lily nor James had been too happy when they learnt that neither Slytherin involved had been expelled. But Lily supposed that she should have known they wouldn't have. She very well knew that Professor Dumbledore had a strange notion for believing there was good in everybody and that they all deserved a second chance. Although she very much admired Dumbledore, his decision didn't sit well with her. So angry was she that she had attacked Snape the first opportunity she had, leaving everyone completely shocked:

_They are walking down the corridor, towards their next class, when they bump into Snape, who is being escorted by a particularly nasty-looking Auror. James knows better than to confront him, so he settles for scowling at the bloody coward. Lily however launches herself at Snape, punching every inch of him she can reach._

"_You bloody coward," she shrieks and Snape cowers back, trying to shield himself from her punches._

_It takes a minute for James to react and he finally grabs Lily around the waist, holding her back. She continues shrieking obscenities at him, her fiery, red hair flying wildly around her face as James carries her away. James doesn't know whether to laugh or kiss the girl. She's everything he's ever dreamt of and more._

Professor McGonagall seemed to understand Lily's position rather well, because instead of giving her a week's worth of detention, she opted for making her write lines instead, which suited Lily just fine.

Neither of them had mentioned anything about Bellatrix's involvement with the attack. After all, they had no proof that she had indeed been involved, although it did make Lily a bit queasy. But James had assured her that everything would be fine. If only they knew.


	26. Firewhisky Confessions

Chapter 25: Firewhisky Confessions

As the weeks dragged on, it became quite apparent to everyone that Lily and James' relationship seemed to be growing stronger with each passing day. No longer did they have their famous fights, which would usually be heard throughout the whole school. It was rather normal to see them together; they always seemed to be in each other's company and it was rare to see one without the other. Lily no longer treated James like he was a piece of scum that had gotten stuck on the bottom of her shoe and James no longer asked Lily out, pranking her at every chance he got.

It was quite evident to everyone that this closeness between James and Lily had changed him. No longer did he prank people to the point of it being considered bullying. He no longer flirted relentlessly with any girl he laid eyes on. His head seemed to have deflated a bit and ego wasn't nearly as big as it had been years previous. Yes, it was safe to say that James Potter was definitely maturing. And Lily seemed to be the reason.

Which is why no one seemed to understand why they were still not a couple. The reason behind it was fairly simple. Although he never showed it, James was scared. He was scared that he would end up doing something rather stupid and he would somehow push her away. He had decided to take things slow with her. After all, what was the rush? They were both two sixteen year olds with their whole lives ahead of them. They had all the time in the world.

* * *

After the incident of that November night, there was no other attack by the Slytherins, although they still carried on with their jeering and name-calling. Sadly, the same thing could not be said about Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

His attacks seemed to be much more constant, aimed largely against those who opposed his ideas and the disappearances all but doubled. _Disappearances_. That's what the _Daily Prophet_ called them. But by this point, it was a rather well known fact that if someone 'disappeared', then it was almost certain that that person was dead.

As if to make matters worse, a few days before the winter holidays, an attack was staged in Hogsmeade. Although the staff tried its best to hide this fact from the students, there was no confusing that horrifying Dark Mark that appeared over the small town. Although there had been no fatalities, they all very much knew what that meant. There was no denying it. Voldemort was getting more powerful by the minute.

* * *

It was half past one when Lily came stumbling down from her dormitory. It was the eve of the last day before their holidays and try as she might, she just couldn't fall asleep. Nor could she ignore any longer that gnawing feeling that someone needed her. She picked her way over the dark Common Room; the only light seemed to be coming from the glowing embers in the fireplace.

She heard him even before she saw him. He was sitting in front of the dying fire, his head in his hands, a half-empty bottle of Firewhisky next to him. She stood there, looking at James sobbing figure, feeling her heartbreak. In all the years she had known him, not once had she seen James Potter cry.

"James?" she whispered tentatively.

He raised his head and looked at her; his eyes were red—probably from the firewhisky or him crying, or a combination of both. His eyes were shining with tears and she could see the glowing embers reflected in his glasses.

"Lily?" he said softly, his voice breaking.

"James, what's wrong?" she whispered as gathered him in her arms, stroking his hair softly as he cried. They were silent for a moment, the only noise being James' sobs.

"I'm just so bloody tired of having to act brave all the time," James finally said, his voice hoarse from crying. "Everyone expects me to be brave, like my dad. But I'm scared Lily. He's been missing for three days already," he said. He didn't have to say who _he_ was. She already knew. "He went on a mission and hasn't been back. What if he's dead, Lily?"

He raised his head and turned to look at her. His eyes where hollow, no longer dancing with laughter. She blinked her tears away and tried her hardest to ignore the lump in her throat.

"Oh, James," she whispered softly. "Everything's going to be alright."

"But what if it isn't, Lily?" he asked, his voice urgent.

Lily gently reached her hands forward and cupped his face, all the while staring into his hazel eyes.

"Listen to me, James," she said softly but firmly. "Your dad will be alright."

"How do you know that?"

"I don't. But you can't lose faith, James. That's exactly what _he_ wants."

"I just want all this to be over."

"I do too. And it will be. Soon enough. But until then, we have to remain strong. We can't let him break us down," she whispered, resting her forehead against his.

She stood up to leave, to take him back to his dormitory, when his hand encircled her wrist.

"I love you, Lily," he breathed.

Lily froze, trying to determine whether she had heard him right. She pulled back to look at him. He was looking at her earnestly, his eyes sincere. She didn't know if it was him talking or the alcohol. After all, they were just two sixteen year olds. What did they know about love? Maybe nothing. But what she did know was that she couldn't deny it any longer. She loved him, too. She always had.

"I love you, too, James," she whispered back, knowing very well that he'd have no recollection of her saying it in the morning.

James gave her a watery smile and kissed her lightly.

"Stay with me tonight," he whispered against her lips. "Please."

**A/N: **That was…unexpected. This chapter turned out completely different from what I had planned. But I hope you all enjoyed it! I'm still trying to decide whether I should stick to what Rowling says or make them a couple already. Any thoughts?


	27. Just Between Us

**A/N: **Oh, look, how lovely. I've decided to "spoil" you all yet again with another update! I've been battling myself since I first sat down to write this whether I should stick to the book or not. So, I've decided to compromise. I hope you guys like what I decided for this story, but I'll totally understand if you hate me after reading it and wish not to continue with the story. Really, no hard feelings. And thank you all once again for the reviews!

Chapter 27: Just Between Us

Early the next day, James had awoken to find Lily Evans wrapped around his arms and no recollection of how she had gotten there. He faintly remembered her wrapping her arms around him, a kiss, and—had she really told him she loved him?

He sighed and reached down, gently placing a kiss on her forehead and waking her up, before anyone found them and started asking questions. James had half-expected her to mention something, anything, about the previous night. But she didn't. He didn't have any other choice but to accept the fact that it had probably all been a dream.

* * *

After her confession last night, she had expected James to at least remember something. But as it seemed, he didn't remember anything and Lily hadn't been able to bring herself to mention it. She was already starting to regret not bringing it up that morning. She had been rather quiet all through breakfast, something that the girls had noticed.

After finally being able to get rid of the boys, the girls had led her to an empty compartment, where they could talk privately. Lily was staring out the window, twirling a strand of red hair, completely lost in thought. They well all rather quiet, whispering only amongst themselves—about her no doubt—but she ignored them. Finally, Alice broke the silence, quite exasperated.

"Okay. We're alone. Now spit it out, Lils. What's wrong? You've been awfully quite since breakfast."

Lily unwillingly dragged herself away from her thoughts and turned to look at her friends. They were all looking at her, identical expressions of curiosity and exasperation in all their faces. She hesitated, trying to determine whether she should tell them. She decided against it. After all, it was something she had to discuss with James first.

"I'm a bit nervous about Petunia," she said finally. It wasn't a lie. She really was nervous about seeing her sister again.

"What about her?"

"Well, what if she's gone back to hating me?"

"Oh, sweetie. I doubt it. Petunia really does seem to care about you."

"Yeah, Lils. Relax. I really do think your sister has finally had a change of heart."

"I guess. So what do you girls have planned for the holidays?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Well, I'm going to France."

"You don't seem too excited about it, Mar."

"Well of course I'm not. I wanted to spend Christmas with Remus."

"Aaw aren't you cute. At least you get to go somewhere fun. Me, I get to spend Christmas with Frank's mum. And quite frankly, I'm a bit scared."

"About what? Mrs Longbottom? I thought you said she was lovely."

"Well she is, but when I met her, I was only Frank's friend. I don't know how she'll react when she finds out I'm his _girlfriend_."

"Oh, come off it, Ali. I'm sure she'll be quite elated. After all, no one can resist you're charms."

"Well, that is true," Alice said with a grin. "What about you, Marley?"

"Well, I'm going to be dividing my time between my family and Sirius."

"I still cannot believe you two are finally dating."

"Me neither. This must be his longest relationship. He really does seem to fancy you."

"Well of course he does," Marlene said in her best posh accent, flicking her raven hair haughtily. "After all, I _am_ Marlene McKinnon."

The girls giggled just as the train was coming to a slow stop. They walked off the train and met with the boys, before leaving to say their goodbyes to their respective boyfriends. Emmeline had mysteriously disappeared, leaving James and Lily alone. They walked in an awkward silence and Lily was tempted to bring up the subject of what had transpired the previous night.

"So, what do you have planned for the holidays?" James asked before Lily could work up the courage to say anything.

"Oh, well, nothing really. My sister's bringing over her new boyfriend and she's just _dying_ for us to meet him."

"You don't seem too happy about it."

"To tell the truth, I'm not. What if he hates me? I wouldn't want this to cause a strain in our relationship."

"Don't worry, Lils. I'm sure it'll be fine."

She smiled up at him as he drew a hand over her shoulders. She wondered how he could still be concerned about her when there was so much going on in his life. Maybe he had meant what he said.

"James, about last—"

"James!"

Lily was cut off by the voice of a woman and they both spun around to see a very pretty, older woman with greying auburn hair rushing towards them. She drew James into a hug and Lily tried her best not to giggle as an embarrassed James was smothered in kisses.

"Oh, Jamsie, I've missed you!"

"I've missed you, too, mum," James said before freeing himself of his mum's grasp and turning to look at Lily.

Dorea noticed her son's gaze and turned to look at Lily, giving her a warm smile.

"Well, love, are you going to introduce me to this lovely young lady or what?"

"Mum, this is Lily. Lily, this is my mum."

"Very pleased to meet you, Mrs Potter," Lily said, offering her hand.

"Oh! I should've known! I've always heard so much about you!" Dorea said, ignoring Lily's outstretched hand and engulfing her in a warm embrace. "It's so good to finally meet you, Lily."

"It's nice to meet you too, Mrs Potter. James always talks so fondly about you."

"Call me Dorea, dear. Mrs Potter was my late mother-in-law. And to tell the truth, it makes me feel positively ancient."

"It's because you are ancient, mum," James teased.

"Oh, James," Lily scolded gently. "Leave your mum alone. I think she's quite lovely."

Dorea laughed gently. "I like you very much, dear. Maybe you could teach my son some manners," she said, before turning to her son. "I daresay James, what are you waiting to ask her out?"

James and Lily both blushed furiously. James stuttered, making a rather lame excuse, but Dorea simply waved his remark away. They stayed chatting for a few more minutes, with James shifting uncomfortably next to Lily. Dorea finally bade Lily goodbye—giving her another warm hug—before walking a little bit ahead of them, to give them 'privacy'. James turned to Lily, running a nervous hand through his hair.

"Sorry 'bout that," he mumbled sheepishly.

"Oh, nonsense," Lily said, laughing softly. "I think your mum's wonderful."

"So what was it that you wanted to tell me?"

"Oh. Nothing. It can wait."

James nodded absentmindedly before giving Lily a hug. They both seemed reluctant to let go of the other. It was finally James who pulled away from her. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before walking away. She stared after him, half-tempted to call him back, but she didn't. It was probably better that way.

* * *

While mostly everyone else was busy with their Christmas preparations, James was sitting in front of the fire, staring pensively into it. He wasn't in the mood to join in on the festivities. Not when his dad had been missing for almost a week. His mum was busy in the kitchen making food, like she usually did whenever she was feeling stressed. Sirius was sitting next to him, trying his best to console him. But nothing he said could make James feel any better.

He found himself missing Lily. Her presence had meant comfort. Hope. But without her, he couldn't help but feeling hopeless. A sudden loud 'pop', like that of someone Apparating, dragged James away from his thoughts. Both he and Sirius drew their wands and stood up, facing the great marble doors as Dorea walked into the sitting room, wand out. There was a knock on the door and James turned to Sirius, before swinging the door open with a flick of his wand.

"Show yourself," he said in a steady voice, pointing his wand at the unknown figure.

A very tired, very battered, Charlus Potter walked in, hands raised.

"Oh, Charlus!" Dorea exclaimed, obviously relieved and rushed to her husband's side, only to be stopped by James, who still had his wand raised.

"James, what are you—"

"No, Dorea. James is right to act that way. He's an Auror in the making," Charlus said in a tired voice, beaming proudly at his son. "I am Charlus Radulfus Potter, husband to Dorea Violetta Potter and father to James Perseus Potter. Your Patronous, which I helped you achieve, takes the form of a stag, son."

"Dad," James croaked as he ran to embrace his father, blinking back tears.

Sirius stood awkwardly to one side, not wanting to interrupt in the family reunion, only to be yanked into the embrace by James. After all, he was family, too. James felt like he could finally breathe again. His family was complete. Only one thing was missing now. Lily.

* * *

Lily was sitting in her warm, cosy kitchen with a cup of hot chocolate in her hands, waiting for her parents to wake up and Petunia to arrive. She had received an owl from James late the previous night, informing her of his father's return and she couldn't help but feeling happy for him and extremely relieved that Mr Potter was all right, albeit tired, but definitely alive.

The sound of a car pulling into the driveway caught her attention and she peered out the window, only to see her sister's blonde hair come into view as she made her way up the path to their house. She smiled as Petunia burst in through the door, smiling pleasantly.

"Family, I'm home!" she said, before turning to Lily. "Where's mum and dad?"

"Still asleep."

"Still?"

"Well, it _is_ only six-thirty, Tuney."

"True. Shall we go wake them up?" Petunia said with a mischievous grin that Lily hadn't seen since she had been six and Petunia ten.

"Definitely."

Both girls rushed up the stairs to their parents' room, bursting the door open.

"Wake up, you two!"

"It's Christmas! Wake up!"

Rose groaned while her husband chuckled.

"And to think you two would've grown up by now."

"Sorry to burst you're bubble, dear mother, but I'm still underage, so it is quite acceptable for me to act this way."

"And besides, you two have to get ready. Vernon will be here at eight."

"Fine. We'll be down in a minute," Daniel said.

"So, where's this famous Vernon Dursley you keep telling me about?" Lily asked as both girls exited their parents' room and made their way back down the stairs.

"At his mum's house. Actually, Lils, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

"What is it, Tuney?"

"Well, you see, I haven't exactly told Vernon about your—your _situation_. He doesn't know yet about your school."

"Okay," Lily said slowly, "exactly what have you told him?"

"I've told him you go to Saint George's School for Girls in Scotland. I couldn't very much tell him yet about your being a _witch_," she said, whispering the last word as if she were scared someone might hear them. "You don't mind do you?"

Lily tried to keep her face impassive, so as not to show her sister how much her words had hurt her.

"No, I suppose not," Lily said, although she did mind very much.

"Great," Petunia said, oblivious to her sister's true feelings. "I'll make tea."

* * *

The Potter Manor was slightly manic early the next morning. Christmas was always a huge deal in the Potter household and even more so now that Charlus had returned to them, safe and sound. James watched happily as his mum rushed in and out of the sitting room, preparing for the Christmas feast that was to be held that night in Charlus' honour.

He turned to his presents, which were strewn around the sitting room and proceeded to pick them up. He had received a Broomstick Servicing Kit Package from his parents; a box of Sugar Quills from Peter, a book of Defensive spells strategies from Remus and a copy of _Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches_ from Sirius ("Maybe now you'll have some luck with, Lily, mate").

From Marlene he had received a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and No-Hear Fireworks, a fancy set of quills with the Potter crest from the Prewetts, Beating the Bludgers – A Study of Defensive Strategies in Quidditch from Frank, and some Chocolate Frogs from Mary and Emmeline. The last presents he opened were from Lily. He opened the first one rather hastily and was surprised to find a comb in it, which had caused his family to burst out in laughter.

He smiled as he read the short note again, which she had included: _Maybe now you'll finally comb your hair, James._ He turned to her last gift: a handmade scarf, crocheted using the Gryffindor colours, with his name stitched in green letters. He grinned widely as he picked up the letter that had been attached to it.

_Dear James,_

_You didn't really think I'd only give you a comb, did you, you big dolt? I know it's not much, but I couldn't help but remember how crazy you were after you realised you lost your 'lucky' scarf. I've embroidered it with a few of my 'lucky kisses', as you called them. Hopefully this one brings you much more luck than your old one. And if it doesn't, you'll at least have something to remember me by. Happy Christmas!_

_Love,_

_Lily_

"You know son, I'd really love to meet this Lily girl," Charlus said, approaching his son from behind, supported by a walking stick. "Your mum tells me she's quite the charmer."

"She is, Dad," James grinned. "She really is."

"You really like her don't you, son?"

"I do, Dad."

Charlus nodded before placing a hand on his son's shoulder. "You know son, during those few days that I was away, there came times when I was positive I was going to die. And the only thing I could think off was that I hadn't told you or your mother how much I love you. It's the only thing that kept me going. Don't ever miss out on the chance to tell the people you love how you feel, son. You might find yourself regretting it one day."

* * *

Lily was in her room, trying to avoid her sister, putting away her presents. From her parents she had received a rather nice charm bracelet, which she was now wearing on her tiny wrist. Petunia had given her a pair of horrid high heels, which Lily had accepted graciously, but was now stuffing into the back of her closet. She had received and assortment of chocolate and books from her friends—they really did seem to know her perfectly well.

Her favourite gift, without a doubt, had been the one James had given her: a simple, goblin-made lilies pendant necklace, which made her gift seem mediocre. She smiled as she played with it absentmindedly, before heading down the stairs, per Petunia's instructions. She really seemed to be going out of her way to make everything perfect for _Vernon's_ arrival. She heard the doorbell ring as she climbed down the last set of steps.

"Try to act normal. Please, Lily," Petunia whispered hurriedly as she smoother her already straight hair.

Lily nodded compliantly as she straightened the hem of the horrid skirt Petunia had picked out for her to wear. Petunia threw the door open and Lily tried her hardest not to burst out in laughter at the sight of the man now standing in front of her.

To call him big would be an understatement. Vernon Dursley was a rather large, beefy, man, with hardly any neck at all. Plastered on top of his head was a set of thick, dark hair that complimented his bushy, black moustache just fine. He reminded Lily greatly of a rather fat whale with a moustache. He stared at Lily with his beady little eyes before turning to Petunia.

"Oh, Vernon! Come in," Petunia said, throwing her arms around the beefy man and guiding him in. "This is my sister, Lily."

"Oh, yes your sister, Lily. How do you do?" Vernon asked in a drawling voice, not bothering to look at her.

"Very well, thank you," Lily said flatly.

"Petunia, who is it?" Rose said, entering the room, closely followed by Daniel. "Oh, you must be Vernon. Nice to meet you. I'm Rose Evans and this is my husband, Daniel."

Lily watched uncomfortably as her parents exchanged pleasantries with Vernon, with Petunia beaming happily all the while. Remembering her manners, Petunia led them all to the sitting room, before excusing herself to the kitchen. Lily followed her, not wanting to be left alone with Vernon and her parents.

"He really is lovely, isn't he?" Petunia asked her, as she danced around the kitchen, placing a teapot and a plate of snacks onto a tray.

Lily refrained herself from telling exactly what she thought of Vernon and replied instead with small nod.

Petunia smiled as she exited the kitchen and Lily walked out with her again, reluctantly. She took a seat next to her mum and as far away as possible from Vernon and her sister. She listened half-heartedly to their conversation.

What Petunia saw in him, Lily didn't know. He was rather dull, to say the very least. Everything about him was dull: from the way he smoothed his moustache before speaking to the way he folded his hands carefully over his large stomach as he listened to whomever it was that was speaking. Even his job was dull. A job at a drilling company? There was nothing duller than that, in Lily's opinion.

He also seemed to be quite the complainer. In the thirty minutes that he had spent with them, he had already complained about the weather, the council, people at his work, the bank, and generally anything that didn't go out of its way to please him. Lily could feel herself slowly dying of boredom as she watched the clock ticking the minutes away.

A soft knock on the front door brought Lily out of her bored-induced coma. She excitedly made for the door, running after Petunia.

"Where you expecting somebody?" Petunia asked suspiciously.

"No_._"_ But there is no way in hell I'm staying to listen to Vernon's tedious stories_, Lily thought to herself.

Petunia glared at her before opening the door. Lily felt her mouth fall open at the sight of the young man in front of her. Leaning against their porch, looking quite faint, was James Potter. He grinned at her as he composed himself.

"James?"

"Hullo, Lily."

Petunia turned to glare at her before excusing herself and dragging her aside.

"What is _he_ doing here?" she whispered angrily.

"I don't know, Tuney."

"Get rid of him. _Now_. I don't care how just get him out of here, before Vernon sees him and starts asking questions," she hissed before glaring at James and walking away.

Lily didn't need telling twice. She grabbed her coat before rushing outside, closing the door behind her.

"Your sister's rather lovely."

Lily ignored his remark and threw her arms around his neck.

"Oh, thank Merlin you're here, James!"

"I should come over to your house more often," he said, grinning widely.

"Oh, shut it. How did you know where I live?"

"Alice told me."

"Oh. And how exactly did you get here?"

"Knight Bus," he said with a shrug. "Care to take a walk?"

"Sure. We could take a stroll through the park," she said, taking his hand and guiding him.

"I see you're wearing the necklace I gave you," he said cheerfully as they crossed the road.

"Yes. I loved it. Thank you, by the way."

"And thank you. I loved the scarf," he said and Lily noticed he was wearing it around his neck.

"Oh, it was nothing really. It's just a silly scarf. Nothing extraordinary about it. Compared to your gift, it seems mediocre."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, my dearest Lily. This scarf is much more valuable because _you_ made it. It might not be as expensive as the necklace I gave you, but it has something better than that: sentimental value."

Lily laughed as she led him through the park.

"You really are something, James Potter."

They walked over to the swings and took a seat, next to each other, swinging slowly.

"So. What did you want to talk about, James?"

He let out a nervous laugh and ran a hand through his hair.

"How did you know I wanted to talk?"

"As much as I'd love to believe that you came to visit because you missed me, I know that you came to talk. So, what about?"

James hesitated, not knowing where to start.

"Lily, I love you. I've always loved you. Ever since I first laid eyes on you. I didn't know what I felt back then. But now I do. And I know I've acted like a complete arse all these years. I'm still surprised at how close we have grown during these past few months. You don't have to tell me anything right now. I know I don't deserve you and I won't blame you if you don't feel the same way. You don't have to. I just—I just needed to tell you. Before it's too late."

"Oh, James. Why did you have to say this now?"

"It's okay, Lily. I understand."

"No, James. You don't. I—I love you too. But we're in the middle of a war. And it's too dangerous for you to get involved with somebody like _me_. I'd hate to think what they would do you or your family if they found out you were involved with a _mudblood_."

"Don't call yourself that!"

"But that's what I am! What's the use of denying it? Bellatrix and Snape have made that perfectly clear. But I don't care. I'm proud of being a mudblood! And you can't be involved with someone like _me_! Think of what they would do to you! I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you, James."

"Well, I'm not exactly on their list of favourite people am I? My dad's a bloody Auror for Merlin's sake! And according to Lestrange, blood traitors are just as bad as muggleborns!"

"You don't get it, James.

"Look at me, Lily," James said, dropping to his knees in front of her. "I love you. And you've just admitted you love me, too. Why make things more complicated than they need to be? Look, I'll agree to compromise. If you agree to give this a try, I promise to keep it a secret, until you feel comfortable with the idea of us."

"You'd do that?"

"I'd do anything for you, Lily."

"Fine. But we can't tell anyone about it yet."

"No one? Not even our friends? I highly doubt any of them would tell anyone about it."

"Have you met _Emmeline Vance_?" Lily asked, raising her eyebrow. As much as she loved her friend, Lily couldn't deny that she was quite the gossiper—the Rita Skeeter of Hogwarts, in other words.

James let out a low laugh as he brushed a strand of hair from her face. "As you wish," he said, before reaching down to kiss her.

And with that kiss, they sealed their fate.

**A/N: **It's most certainly not the end! I definitely plan on writing more. So, do you guys hate me or not?


	28. Out with the old, In with the New

**A/N:** I think this must be the longest chapter as of yet, so I think it makes up for my not updating sooner, although that wasn't entirely my fault. My other USB was damaged beyond repair and I lost all my writings. Yeah, sad, I know. A review ought to cheer me up. lol Just kidding. Well, enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Nope, I'm still not J.K. Rowling. The only thing I own is the plot. And a few of the minor, insignificant characters.

* * *

Chapter 28: Out With the Old, In with the New

"We really should get going, Lily. Before your parents start getting worried," James murmured against her lips, although he would have loved nothing more than to kiss her a while longer.

Lily sighed as she nuzzled closer to him. "I suppose you're right." She let go of him and offered him her hand, which he took without hesitation. They walked back to her house in silence. It wasn't an awkward silence, but more of a comfortable one—the kind that makes two souls feel connected in ways unimaginable to those who have never experienced it.

"So…" James said as they came to a stop in front of her house.

"So…" she repeated, smiling up at him.

"I was wondering—what are you doing on New Year's?"

"Nothing, I suppose. Why?"

"Well, my mum always hosts a New Year Ball every year, see. You don't have to say yes, of course. I'll understand. I mean, just because we're together now doesn't mean you have to say yes. It's totally understandable if you want to keep a certain appearance of animosity between us. But I was wondering, would you like to go with me?"

She let out a low laugh as she watched him ramble on, running a nervous hand through his hair.

"I'd love to, James."

"Great. It's a date then," he said, grinning widely. He reached down to give her a quick kiss before walking down the cobblestone path.

"Bye, James," she called as he turned around to give her one last grin.

"Bye, Lily-flower."

She frowned at him. "Do you want me to go over there and smack that precious grin off your face, Potter?"

"Er—no?"

"Then don't call me Lily-flower!"

"How about Lily-petal?"

"_No_."

"Lily-pad?"

"_James_."

"Lily-flower?"

"No Lily-anything!"

"Fine. I'll just call you Lilykins."

She rolled her eyes and smiled at him. "You're an idiot."

"I might be an idiot, but I'm _your_ idiot now. And you love me."

"Don't flatter yourself, Potter," she said with a playful smirk. With one last wave at James, she slipped into her house, closing the door behind her, smiling widely. This had to be the best Christmas she'd ever had.

* * *

The easiest part, Lily soon found out, was accepting James' invitation to the ball. Her real problem was finding the right dress. According to Alice, who had gone every year since she could remember, the Potter's New Year Ball was ridiculously formal, so the dress she had worn for Alice's picnic that summer would not suffice, not that Lily would have tried to wear it again. Although she was not one to care for appearances, she wanted to make a good first impression with James' parents—more notably his dad, since she had already met his mum. Lucky for her, Petunia and her parents had given her £150 as an early birthday present so that she could afford new dress robes.

She had already made plans with the girls to spend the day in Diagon Alley, looking for the 'perfect dress'—Alice's words, not hers—before heading to Alice's house for the remainder of the holidays. The rest of the week passed rather quick and before she knew it, the day before New Year's Eve had arrived. She woke up early that Thursday morning and after getting dressed, she headed downstairs for breakfast.

"Morning mum," she said, planting a quick kiss on her mother's cheek before taking a seat next to her.

"Morning, love. At what time are you leaving today?"

"At nine."

"Well, have fun. And owl me as soon as you get there."

"Yes, mum."

They ate breakfast, chattering as usual, before her mum stood to get ready for work. As she was finishing breakfast, she heard a small knock on the door and her mum answered it.

"Good morning, Mrs Evans," a familiar voice carried into the kitchen.

"Good morning, dear," she heard her mum reply.

"Is Lily ready?"

"I think so, dear. Lils? Ali's here. I'm leaving alright, love? Love you," her mum called as she closed the door.

She grinned. "Alice!" She jumped out of her seat and ran to greet her friend, who was grinning widely at her. Lily stopped a few feet in front of her, completely taken aback. "Your hair!"

Alice smiled at her sheepishly. "It's a bit short, isn't it?"

Lily nodded, at loss for words. Alice's hair, which had usually cascaded down her back in chocolate brown waves, was now styled in a chin-length bob. Alice must have noticed her surprise because she groaned, reaching up to touch her hair.

"It looks horrible, doesn't it?"

"No. It looks lovely, Ali. It's just—_why_?"

"I don't know! Mrs Longbottom invited me to run some errands with her last week, which included going to the beauty parlour. She made some stupid remark about how a few inches off my hair would do wonders to my face. And next thing I know, I'm walking out of that bloody parlour with my hair looking like this!" she said, pointing to her hair, making Lily suppress a giggle.

"It really does suit you, though. You look lovely. Now stop fretting over your hair and tell me, how exactly are we getting to Diagon Alley again?"

"Uncle Charlus was kind enough to have the Floo Network connected to your house," she said with a small shrug.

"And how did you get here?"

"Mum Apparated me, before leaving to work. Now hurry. The girls must be waiting for us already. Oh and make sure to leave your trunk ready. I'll have Libby pick it up later."

A few minutes later, both girls walked out of the fireplace and into the dark and shabby pub known as the Leaky Cauldron. Lily smiled as she spotted her friends, already sitting at a table, talking amongst themselves, oblivious to their surroundings. They dusted themselves off, before walking over to their friends.

"Hullo girls," Lily said cheerfully. The girls exchanged quick hugs, before taking a seat again. "So what were you talking about?"

"About the latest Death Eater attack."

Lily froze. "What?"

"Oh, Lily, I forgot you didn't know about it yet. You tell her about it Ali. You were the one who told us after all."

"Well, the Death Eaters attacked the house of an Auror. Dawlish I think. Lucky for him, he wasn't there. But from what Uncle Charlus said, his house was left in complete ruins."

"Oh, Merlin. When did this happen?"

"Just last week. During Christmas."

"I guess someone forgot to tell old Voldy that we're on a holiday," Marlene said with a small chuckle, trying to liven the atmosphere. The girls only managed to exchange weak smiles, their faces anxious.

"How come I didn't read anything about it in the Daily Prophet?"

Alice snorted. "The Prophet's been keeping a lot quiet lately, sweetie, per the Minister's orders. We're not even getting half of what's really going on. The disappearances are only a part of it. There's been a lot of attacks on important Ministry people lately, not just the ones we've heard of. And it's not just against them, but also against important muggle officials. You remember the fire last week, before Christmas, that killed dozens of muggles?"

"Yes, it was all over the muggle news. They claimed it was some sort of faulty wiring that caused it."

"Of course that's what they'd like us to think. It was actually another attack staged by those horrid Death Eaters."

"Oh, Merlin. Where does the Minister fit in all this?"

"Well, apparently the Minister is under the impression that we're all better off not knowing about what is bloody happening. That way, we won't feel threatened."

"And I suppose he's also under the impression that if he ignores it long enough, then this mess will just clean up by itself. Merlin, the nerve of that man! Can he really be that obtuse?"

"He's in denial, sweetie. He can't seem to accept the fact that we're in a war. He had given Voldemort's activities top priority and the only thing that cause was his attacks to double. He seems to think that if he ignores it, then maybe Voldemort will stop."

"And while he's busy ignoring it, there are people dying out there!"

Alice lowered her voice and motioned them to move closer. "Well, from what I've heard, Uncle Charlus isn't too happy about how the Minister is handling things, either. I've heard the adults talking about some sort of Order. Apparently that's where Uncle Charlus was when he disappeared—on a mission for this Order."

"Now that you've mentioned it, I've heard my parents talking about it lately. From what I've heard of their conversations, they're a part of this Oder thing," Marlene said in a low whisper. "And my brothers are talking about joining it, too."

"What do you think it's about?"

"I dunno, but from what I've gathered, they're working against Voldemort."

"Can we not talk about You-Know-Who anymore? We're supposed to be preparing for the ball," said Emmeline.

"That reminds me. We should get going. Mum said we had to be back by three. She doesn't want us roaming the streets alone after that."

"So where are we going? Muggle London or Diagon Alley?"

"I say Muggle London. I want a dress, like the one in that muggle magazine you showed me, Lils."

"I say we go to both."

"Let's start in Muggle London first, then," Emmeline said, grinning. "There's this dress I've had my eye on for a long time."

The girls stood up and walked out Charring Cross Road, before heading down to Oxford Street.

* * *

Lily stood in front of the mirror in Alice's guestroom, admiring her reflection. After hours of searching, she had finally found it—the perfect dress. It was a strapless sequin gown, with an opening in the front that allowed a seductive view of her long and slender leg. The girls had talked her into buying it, claiming that it hugged her slim figure, accentuating her curves in all the right ways and that the golden hue of the dress gave the appearance that her pale skin glistened.

Her vibrant red hair was put up in a bun for the occasion and the only jewellery she wore was the necklace James had given her and a pair of studded earrings. She sighed, tugging at the ends of the straight fringe Alice had talked her into getting, before applying a touch of red lipstick onto her lips, feeling rather daring. Lily smiled as Alice came waltzing in in a black and gold gown that clung to her like a second skin and stopped a few daring inches below her bottom. Alice was what you'd call a classic beauty. She had the undeniable knack to look absolutely stunning in anything she wore; she could be wearing a potato sack and still manage to look beautiful.

"Oh, Lily. You look beautiful. And sexy. I told you that red lipstick was perfect for you. Your boyfriend won't be able to take his eyes off you," she said with a grin, nudging her suggestively.

"My—my what?" Lily squeaked, looking up at her friend.

"Your boyfriend. James told me."

"He did what? Oh, I'll kill him, I swear I will."

Alice let out a sly laugh. "I knew it! You're so gullible, sweetie."

Lily scowled as she silently cursed herself for being so gullible. "Oh, please don't tell anyone, Ali. We're keeping things a secret for now."

"Don't worry. My lips are sealed. Although, why would you want to keep things a secret?"

"It's complicated, Ali. But it's just temporary. We'll let it be known soon enough."

"I think I understand why. And I have to admit, it's so romantic! I just want to see him when he takes a look at you!"

"Like you're far behind, Ali. Frank won't be able to keep his hands off you when he sees you in _that_," she said, laughing as Alice blushed pleasantly.

"Oh, shut it you."

"How did you know?"

"You have a sparkle to your eye that was never there before, like the kind girls get when they're in love. Like the one my mum used to get whenever she saw my dad," she said softly.

"Like the one you get when you see Frank."

Alice smiled. "Yes. So are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be. How are we getting there?"

"The invitation turns into a Portkey," Alice explained. "They all leave at different times. Ours leaves at eight. Rather ingenious, right?"

"I'll say."

"Okay, grab your cloak, sweetie and come on."

Lily sighed again as she begrudgingly slipped into the matching heels. She made a grab for her emerald green travelling cloak and walked slowly down the stairs after Alice, where Mrs Prewett was waiting for them; she looked rather stunning in elegant mauve dress robes.

"Wow, mum. You look amazing," Alice said with a grin and Lily nodded.

"Thanks, love. You girls look beautiful," she said, giving them a warm smile. "Shall we?"

The girls nodded and threw on their cloaks before placing a hand on the invitation Mrs Prewett was holding. Lily let out a gasp as she felt like a hook was grabbing her from somewhere behind her navel, pulling her towards her destination. She sighed in relief as they landed on the edge of an elaborate garden, full of blooming winter flowers.

"I'll be inside with Dorea," Lucretia called to them, before disappearing.

Lily nodded and tore her eyes from the garden. She turned around and felt her mouth drop at the sight of the handsome manor in front of her. It reminded Lily strongly of a castle, with its many towers. She could hear running water trickling against rocks and birds chirping in the distance and she let out a small gasp as she became aware of the surrounding woods. Alice smirked as she took Lily's hand and led her through the snow, towards the back of the garden.

The ballroom soon came into view, and Alice led her to the large glass doors, which were propped open, allowing the guests a welcoming view of the ballroom. She could see a few people had already arrived and Lily caught a glimpse of a few women draped in expensive silks and elegant satins as they glided through the crystalline floors in the arms of their respective partners.

They stepped through the threshold and Lily looked around her in awe; the sight was simply breath-taking. Stars glistened across the enchanted ceiling, the soft glow of thousands of floating candles illuminating the faces of those present; Lily was strongly reminded of Hogwarts. There were tables scattered here and there, some of which were already occupied, and Lily recognised many familiar faces.

A house-elf cam hobbling towards them, bowing graciously. Lily noted that he was dressed in the same fashion as the house-elves at Hogwarts, although his uniform had the Potter crest fastened to it.

"May Figgie take the misses cloaks?"

Both girls smiled and nodded, handing the small elf their cloaks. He took them graciously and after giving them a small bow, walked away. Lily looked around and was surprised to see a handful of elves walking around, tending to the guests.

"They're all freed or abandoned elves," Alice explained, noticing her questioning look. "Poor things have nowhere else to go and Aunty Dorea has taken it upon herself to offer them a sort of haven. They're free to come and go as they please. She's offered them pay of course, but they refuse it. The only elf they 'own' is Pinky, but she's more like family to them. James is really fond of her."

"Well if it isn't ickle Alikins and her best friend, the fiery cracker, little Red," a voice called behind them, causing both girls to turn.

"My, my, how much you've changed. You're no longer the two snotty brats that used to follow us around at school," called the young man next to him. "You two clean up nice, you do."

She broke into a grin, recognising the two handsome redhead twins striding towards them, giving them identical mischievous grins. Fabian and Gideon Prewett had been two years ahead of her in Hogwarts and had graduated just last year. They were both rather amiable and charming; the only flaws Lily could find in them was their competitive nature towards each other and everyone else, especially the Marauders. They had both nearly driven Lily mad during her first years as Prefect as they strived to destroy the school.

"Well if it isn't my annoying cousins—what do you call them again, Lils?"

"Tweedledee and Tweedledum," Lily said with a smirk. Ever since she had met the two boys, Lily had been strongly reminded of the two characters in Lewis Carroll's books. "It's rather nice to see you."

"We've missed you girls, too," the twins said in unison, grinning widely as they stooped down to given them both a hug.

"Oh, I haven't seen you boys since you two graduated! We're have you been?"

"Sorry, Ali. We can't say," Gideon said with an innocent grin. "We vowed not to tell."

"That's top secret, that is," Fabian said with a wink.

"You two are incorrigible. Where are your dates?"

"That's mine over there," said Gideon, pointing out a tall brunette with striking features, who smiled at them when she became aware of their stares. "But Fabian's got none. Keeping yourself open, aren't you brother?"

"That I am. Where's Emmy-wemmy?" Fabian asked, much to innocently.

"Fabian has a crush on her, he does."

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Yup, incorrigible as always. And Emmy'll be here around eight-thirty."

"Splendid!"

"Marvellous!"

"Idiots! Both of you," said Alice with a playful smile.

"Now, now, Alikins. Don't be harsh."

"Now, if you'll excuse us—"

"We've got to get going."

"Wouldn't be a Potter ball without the usual Prewett tradition, now would it?"

"Save us a dance," they called in unison as they walked away, grinning mischievously.

"Prewett tradition?"

"They play a prank each year," Alice explained. "Last year they set a dozen pixies loose just as the clock struck twelve. It drives Aunt Dorea mad, but Uncle Charlus enjoys it."

"Lily! Ali! Don't you two look gorgeous!" Sirius said a little too loudly as he walked into the ballroom, followed by Peter and Remus. He walked to them, placing a rather wet kiss on both their cheeks. Remus rolled his eyes and hugged both girls, followed by Peter, who was walking with a tall blonde girl in pink dress robes who Lily recognised as being Andreina Banks, a fifth-year Hufflepuff.

"Oh, Merlin. You're drunk aren't you, Sirius?"

"Of course not, Ali. I only had one."

"One what?"

"Bottle," Sirius said with a wink. "Where's Marls?"

"She's coming with her parents. So she'll be here around eight-thirty, I think."

"Who did you come with, Remus?"

"I invited Emmeline. Mary was the one who suggested it," he said with a shrug.

"Great. I didn't want you to be the only one without a date. Talking about dates, where's James? Lily's _dying_ to see him," she said, grinning at Lily, whose cheeks flushed slightly.

Sirius turned to her, grinning widely. "Can't get enough of my mate, can you? He'll be down in a minute. He's in a bit of a dilemma, see. He can't decide whether he should wear the green tie or the blue tie. Poor bloke. He doesn't know that no matter how hard he tries, he'll never be as handsome as me."

"Sod off, Padfoot," James said as he made his way towards them. Lily smiled as she caught sight of him; he looked rather handsome in his formal robes and even his wild hair couldn't take from his stunningly good looks. He smiled at Alice, before turning to look at Lily. He blinked twice and his eyebrows shot up in surprise.

He opened his mouth, trying to form words, but all that came out was complete gibberish. "Ah—I—well—oh—um—you—Lily—_wow_."

Alice giggled. "Real smooth, James. Is that how you sweet talk the ladies?"

James smiled sheepishly and cleared his throat. "You look beautiful, Lily," he said finally, not taking his eyes off her. Lily smiled at him, reaching her hand up to play with her necklace. Sirius cleared his throat, making them both jump.

"How about we give Lily-petal a tour of Jamsie's house while we wait for the others to arrive?" he asked, grinning at them.

"How about _we_ go find a seat and give these two some privacy?" Alice said, grabbing Sirius's arm and pulling him to the closest table.

James laughed nervously as they were left standing alone. "Did you tell her?"

"No, somehow she already knew," Lily said with shrug.

"She always did have a sort of sixth-sense for these things. She was the first one to notice when I started fancying you," James said with a laugh. "So—er—do you want a tour of the house?"

"Maybe later."

"How about we go introduce you to my parents then?"

"Are you sure that'd be a good idea?"

"Lily, my dad's been wanting to meet you ever since I first mentioned you. He'd have my head if he knew you were here and I didn't introduce you to him. Don't worry. I'll just introduce you as my date, for now."

"But what if they hate me?"

"Mum already met you and she loved you," James reminded her. "And I'm sure my dad'll love you too."

"Well alright then," she said with a smile as she took his arm.

They walked down the ballroom, with James occasionally stopping to greet people whose surnames Lily sometimes recognised as belonging to pureblood families. So far, she had met Benjy Fenwick, a rather young looking wizard with kind amber eyes and a quirk to his eyebrow that made him look as if he was forever puzzling over something; Sturgis Podmore, a young wizard with thick, straw-coloured hair and a square jaw, that appeared to be no older than twenty—Lily distinctly remembered seeing him around Hogwarts; Elphias Doge, an older wizard who appeared to be around Dumbledore's age; Dedalus Diggle, a tiny and excitable young wizard, who was wearing a purple top hat—much to Lily's amusement. She was surprised to find that they made no remark about her blood status when James introduced her.

"Not all pureblood families are the same," he said suddenly as they walked away from a rather handsome wizard in his early-thirties who had introduced himself as Edgar Bones and his wife, Alexia. "Many of the people present here believe the same as the Potters and the Prewetts do: blood purity has nothing to do with the value of a person. My parents have long stopped associating with people who uphold Voldemort's view on blood status."

"The more I learn about your parents, the more I understand why you are who you are. You're really noble, James, even under that bad-boy façade you carry around. I don't know why I never saw that before."

"Well, it's not like I made it easy for you to notice that side of me. I'll admit I was an arrogant toerag for the better part of the last five years. It took that one incident with Snape for me to realise just how horrible I've been."

"Well, you've changed, James. And that's all that matters," she said, giving his arm a gentle squeeze. "I'd kiss you, but I'm afraid there's too many witnesses around."

"The hell with them. They're too busy talking about each other to notice us," James said, grabbing her suddenly and leaning her so far back that she almost lost her balance, before kissing her tenderly on the cheek and pulling her back up.

"You're an idiot, James," she said laughing as she straightened herself. She glanced around quickly, but found that James had been right; not many people had noticed them, too engrossed in their own conversations, with the exception of Alice, who gave them a disappointed look. _I want action_, she mouthed, making Lily grin.

"You can't say you didn't enjoy it," he said with a grin.

"I might have enjoyed it more if it had been a _real_ kiss."

"Don't tempt me, Evans. I just might lose all self-control and snog you senseless."

"I'd like to see you try, Potter," she said with a coy smile.

"You're lucky my parents are watching us now or I'd push you up against that wall," James whispered to her as they approached Mr and Mrs Potter.

Mrs Potter waved them over and Lily smiled, noticing the many similarities between James and his father. He was a tall and distinguished man with an air of aristocracy around him, much like Dorea. His bespectacled eyes were the same hazel colour as James, with the same mischievous glint to them. His greying hair had the same untameable quality as James' and Lily was surprised to notice that he shared many of James' gestures as he brought up a hand to his hair, ruffling it slightly.

"You must be the lovely young lady my son so fondly refers to," he said warmly as he stood to greet them.

"Mum, dad, this is Lily Evans, my—date," James said sheepishly as he too brought up a hand and passed it through his hair.

"Yes, Lily Evans. We finally meet," he said extending his hand towards Lily, which she took gingerly. "Charlus Potter. And this is my lovely wife, Dorea."

"Hullo, Lily, dear," Dorea said with a smile as she stood up to greet her. Lily turned her attention to the smiling elderly witch, who was elegantly dressed in a steel grey gown, the same colour as her kind eyes. She drew Lily into a warm hug, before pulling back to examine her. "You look stunning, dear," she said with a smile.

"You look rather stunning yourself, Mrs—Dorea. And it really is a pleasure to meet you, Mr Potter," she said, turning to James' dad.

"Please, call me Charlus. And the pleasure is all mine. Now, I would invite you to take a seat, but something tells me you children would rather occupy your time elsewhere. We can save getting better acquainted for later. For now, enjoy the party, which my lovely wife was so gracious to host."

"Oh, Charlus, you flatter me," Dorea said, blushing slightly and looking at her husband lovingly. Charlus laughed and planted a tender kiss on his wife's forehead, causing Lily to smile.

She wanted _that_; that intangible something that made two people want to share the rest of their lives together. She wished for what James' parents, and even her own parent's had: pure love. It might be passion that brought two people together, but Lily knew that it was love that ultimately kept them that way. James cleared his throat next to her and Lily allowed herself to believe that maybe, _just maybe_, James was the person she was destined to spend the rest of her life with.

"It was nice seeing you again, Lily, dear," Dorea said, smiling at her.

"It was nice seeing you again, Mr—Dorea. And it was really nice to meet you, M—Charlus," she said, smiling at them, before James drew her away again.

"So, what did you think? Not as bad as you thought it'd be, was it?"

"They really are lovely people," she said with a smile. "And I'd like to see what you're like when you meet _my_ parents."

"Well, I managed to do the hard part: make you fall in love with me. I think I'd do just fine with your parents."

"Has anybody ever told you that you're rather cocky?"

"Yes. You have. Loads of times," he said with a grin, causing Lily to roll her eyes good-naturedly.

They walked back to their friends and Lily grinned as she spotted Marlene and Emmeline among them. Marlene was wearing a strapless black gown, that seemed to be made of sparkling material, with a sweetheart bust. Her hair, which was usually swept to the side, was let down for the occasion, falling down her back in a raven cascade. Emmeline, on the other hand, had opted for a wine-coloured, one-shoulder gown and she had styled her hair in a high ponytail, giving her an exotic look. Lily noticed that more people had arrived and she recognised even more familiar faces, like Hestia Jones and Dorcas Meadowes, who waved pleasantly at them. They took a seat just as the house-elves were bringing out the first course. They were just finishing supper when James let out a desperate groan beside her.

"Oh, no!"

"What?"

"Her," he said, pointing to a tall, young girl about their age. She was beautiful, plain and simple. Everything about her accentuated her aura of nobility, from her delicate nose, to her sparkling, sapphire eyes. Her hair was a strawberry blond colour, that fell down her back in perfect waves. She spotted them and broke into a delicate smile, before making her way towards them, taking delicate steps, only to be stopped by an older wizard.

"Lily hide me!" James yelped, pulling her in front of him, causing her to nearly spill her drink.

"What—James?" she asked, but he had already dropped to his knees besides her and crawled under the table. "James what the hell is wrong with you?" she asked reaching under the table to look at him. He responded by pulling the tablecloth back down to over himself, shielding him from view.

Frank laughed and leaned over to her. "That's Gwendolyn Phillips, his fifth-cousin once removed, or something like that," he explained. "She's been in love with him ever since I can remember. She might be pretty, but she's a bit mental; seems to think they're going to get married. She even has names picked out for their future kids. James tends to avoid her like the plague."

"What?" Lily said, trying to suppress a giggle. James pulled on her dress and she aimed a kick towards him, which caused him to pull even harder.

"Frank speaks the truth, sweetie. Oh, no. She's coming this way again. Alright, all of you pretend to look disinterested," Alice said as the girl strode towards them.

"Have any of you seen James?" she asked delicately, in a rather snooty voice. She might have been beautiful, but her charm was lost once she opened her mouth.

"Why Gwendolyn, it's so nice to see you, too! Last time I saw you, you were a fat cow," Sirius said with a grin.

"I see you haven't changed much, Sirius, darling. You're still as insufferable as always."

"And you're still a stuck-up bitch. Some things never change, I guess," Marlene said, tilting her head to one side and raising an eyebrow challengingly. Gwendolyn turned towards Marlene, raising her eyebrow. She smirked, wrinkling her nose in obvious contempt.

"No, Gwen, we haven't seen James," Alice cut-in before Gwendolyn could make a comeback, her voice sweet, cleverly disguising her disgust towards the girl.

"Well, if you see him, tell him I was looking for him. I know he must be worried," she said and Lily could hear James suppress a snort.

"We'll let him know if we see him, sweetie," Alice said. The girl nodded curtly at them, before striding away.

"Ugh, I hate that girl," Marlene said once Gwendolyn was out of earshot. "You can come out now, James."

"Thank Merlin," James said, crawling back out and dusting himself. "That was close."

"Where did that girl come from? She looks around our age, yet I've never seen her in Hogwarts."

"She goes to Beauxbatons, which explains why she's so snobby. Her mother doesn't approve with much of Hogwarts' teaching methods. And she dislikes the fact that Hogwarts doesn't teach 'proper etiquette'," Alice said with a smirk.

Slow music started playing now and Lily watched as couples flooded the dance floor, gliding around gracefully. James stood up and offered her a hand and she smiled before taking it. He led her to the dance floor, where they soon joined the waltzing couples. She smiled as she placed an arm around his neck and he raised their entwined hand into the air, as the music demanded. They danced around the ballroom to the slow beat and before she knew it, James had spinned her around and she landed in the arms of none other than Gideon.

"Hey Red! Fancy seeing you again. So you're here with James, I see," he said, grinning at her as he guided her around the dance floor. He laughed when she blushed. "T'was only a matter of time," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, we all knew you'd end up with him. Glad you gave him hell first before saying yes," he said before spinning her around again.

"Frank! I didn't know you where much of a dancer," she said, smiling up at her new dance partner. She had always been on friendly terms with Frank, even before Alice had started dating him.

"I do what I can," he said with a smile. "So? You and James, huh? Alice told me about you two."

"She—she did?" Lily made a mental note to murder her friend the next time she saw her.

"Yes, but don't worry. You're secret's safe with me," he said with a wink as he spinned her again and she landed in the arms of an amiable wizard who reminded her strongly of her father. After one too many spins, she finally ended back in James' arms, who smiled down at her. Lily was more than ready to collapse on the floor and she cursed herself for allowing Alice to talk her into wearing those horrid heels.

"Meet me outside of the ballroom in five minutes," James whispered to her, before walking away.

"What did he tell you?" Alice asked excitedly, appearing by her side.

"I'm more keen to discuss what Frank told me," she said giving her friend a pointed look.

"Oh, no. He told you, didn't you? I'm sorry sweetie, but he's my boyfriend! He made some remark about how you two looked cute together and it just slipped out! I'm sorry. You'll forgive me, right?"

"I don't know. Let me think about it," she said, trying to her best to look mad, but failing. "Okay, I forgive you," Lily said with a laugh as she hugged her friend.

"So what did James tell you?"

"To meet him outside of the ballroom in five minutes. I think I should get going."

"Well hurry back! The clock's about to strike twelve, sweetie," Alice called after her as she made her way out of the ballroom.

She stepped outside and looked around the dark room and was surprised to find it deserted. Suddenly, a pair of strong arms grabbed her around the waist. Alarmed, Lily spun around, slapping the unknown figure. James laughed as he leaned in to give her a kiss. She pulled away, slapping his arm repeatedly as he continued to laugh.

"You idiot! You scared me!"

"I'm sorry, Lils," James said as he pulled her into a hug. He leaned in to kiss her and she responded eagerly, all resolve lost. He pulled away much too quickly for her liking and grabbed her hand, before pulling her down the hall and up the stairs.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere private," he called over his shoulder, and although it was dark, Lily could tell he was smiling.

They came to a landing and James made a turn, before pulling her up even more stairs. He did this a second time before stopping in what Lily guessed to be one of the towers. It was a rather large room, with a massive telescope standing in one corner. James led her to a parapet, which allowed an excellent view of the grounds and the starry sky above them. Lily could faintly hear the music coming from somewhere below them. She smiled as she looked around in awe. James stood behind her, placing his arms around her waist.

"This way, we'll get an excellent view of the fireworks," he murmured against her neck, kissing it slightly, sending shivers down her spine.

The music soon stopped and they could hear the cheerful voices of people counting down the seconds before the clock struck twelve and James came to stand next to her, holding her hand.

"Ten, nine, eight—"

"Happy New Year, James," Lily whispered, squeezing his hand.

"Seven, six, five, four—"

"Happy New Year, Lily."

"Three, two, one—"

James leaned down to capture her lips with his as the clock struck twelve and the magical fireworks started going off, illuminating the night sky.

"Happy New Year!"

It was the perfect way to end 1976 and welcome 1977. Lily knew in her heart, that this year would be different. This year was full of endless possibilities. Possibilities she could now share with James. It didn't matter what this new year brought with it. They were ready. They would face these new challenges. Together.

**A/N: **I was tempted to somehow turn this into a fighting scene, but the idea of having a story which somehow always ends up in duels didn't appeal to me, so I chose to end it like this. Hope nobody was disappointed :)


	29. Just A Bit of Holiday Cheer

**A/N:**_ Hello, my lovely readers! I feel horrible for not updating sooner, but I've been horribly busy as of late. I'll try to post up the next chapter soon-maybe by Wednesday, but I won't make any promises. Thank you for all your lovely reviews! I really do take the time to read all of them and take your opinions into consideration-even if I don't actually respond to them! And I feel flattered to know that my writing so closely resembles Rowling's and even more to know that you all actually enjoy reading it :)_

_Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the Prewett's Prank-that was the hardest bit-and the chapter in general. _

* * *

**Chapter 29:** Just a bit of Holiday Cheer

Though neither of them were too thrilled about returning to the party, Lily knew they had to go back before people started questioning their absence. She dragged a reluctant James down the stairs and into the ballroom, slipping unnoticed into the crowd of people who were still wishing each other a happy New Year or watching the fireworks out of one of the many windows. Hugs were being exchanged all around and she found herself hugging many people—some whose names she didn't remember—before they were able to make their way towards their friends, who were huddled around by an open window. Alice spotted them and she broke into a sly smile that made James continuously pass a nervous hand through his hair and Lily to blush furiously. The fireworks soon died out and their friends turned away from the window, appearing quite startled when they spotted James and Lily among them.

"Where did you two come from?"

"What do you mean, sweetie? They've been here all along. Haven't you Lils?"

"Of course we have, Marley. I think the alcohol is starting to get to you," Lily said, looking at her friend in mock-concern.

"I might be tipsy, but I'm not stupid," she slurred, waggling a finger in Lily's direction.

"We know you're not stupid, babe," Sirius whispered to her in what was supposed to be a seductive tone. They all groaned as they watched Marlene throw her arms around his neck, pulling him into a deep kiss.

"Get a room, mate," James said, smirking at him. Sirius pulled away from Marlene and returned James' smirk.

"Are you jealous, mate? Because there's enough of me to go around," he said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively as he swaggered towards him. They all laughed as Sirius threw his arms around James, kissing him on both cheeks. James pulled a face of disgust as he pulled himself away from Sirius, wiping his cheeks with the edge of his sleeve.

"You're an idiot, Pads."

"Aw, is Moony jealous too? Not to worry, mate. Like I said, there's enough of me to go around," he said, flinging an arm around Remus, who rolled his eyes. Quite suddenly, they heard a small shriek, followed by the sound of breaking china.

"What the—?"

All around them, people began doing jerky movements and batting their hands around, as if they were trying to wriggle something off. They looked around, trying to find the source of the disturbance and saw a tiny creature scuttling across the dance floor, dragging a heavy-looking pocket watch after it.

"Nifflers," Alice said, rolling her eyes. "Figures."

"Brilliant!" Sirius said, barking out a laugh. His laughter soon died off as a niffler flew across the room and landed on his hair, causing them to burst out in laughter. Sirius brought his hands to his hair and started batting around, trying to get the little creature off him.

"Can't believe it, mate. Scared of this little bloke? You're such a chick," James said, laughing as he reached a hand up to Sirius' shaggy hair and picked up the tiny creature, dangling it before him.

"Sod off, Prongs," he said huffily. "I wasn't scared."

"What if I put it back in your hair?" he said, bringing the tiny creature close to his hair. Sirius yelped back, bringing his hands up to his hair again.

"Such a chick," James said humorously as he set the niffler down by an open window. They watched as the creature scuttled out, disappearing into the darkness, before turning back to the scene playing out before them. A few people were trying to restore order now, the shock having worn off, but they were rather unsuccessful, given that most everyone was trampling over anything that got in their way in their attempts of getting as far away as possible from the tiny creatures, who were scattering around, dragging heavy pieces of jewellery after them. Lily watched as a niffler ran up the trousers of a distinguished looking wizard who started shaking his foot around, trying to rid himself of the tiny creature.

"Alright, if everyone would please step out of the ballroom for a second while we get this sorted out," a voice called out, ushering people out onto the hall.

They allowed themselves to be ushered out and spotted Fabian and Gideon standing in the entrance of the ballroom, looking around with identical mischievous grins on their faces. They strode towards them, trying to get away from the commotion around them.

"Nifflers? Really?" Alice said as they came to a stop behind them, smacking her cousins on the back of their heads. "I'd expect that from first-years, but from two eighteen year old boys? I thought you two would come up with something much more clever than that."

"First of all, ouch," Fabian said, rubbing his head. "Second of all—"

"—what are you talking about, Alikins? Have you any idea what she speaks of, Fabian?" Gideon said innocently.

"None at all, Gideon," said Fabian, dancing on the balls of his feet, looking very much like a child who is caught in his mischief.

"You boys are both idiots," Lily said, smirking at them. "And you're prank was rather dull. It had no—_pizazz_," she said, shaking her hands around for support.

"Exactly what are you going on about, Red? This prank had plenty of _pizazz_," said Gideon, mimicking her hand movements.

"Yeah, Red! This prank is ingenious! One of the best ones Fabian here has ever come up with."

"Why thank you, Gideon."

"Right. Whatever helps you boys sleept at night," Emmeline said with a snort.

"Don't listen to her, Fabian," Gideon said, patting his brother who was looking at her with mock-offense. "I thought it was brilliant. Maybe she's trying to make you feel bad because you're such a bad snogger."

The girls all turned to look at Emmeline, who was blushing furiously.

"And how exactly would you know whether I was a good snogger or not?"

"It looked pretty bad from where I was standing," Gideon said with a shrug.

"Ouch, that hurt."

"The truth does sometimes, brother."

"Wait. You two _snogged_?"

"I do believe that is just what I said."

"It was just a kiss," Emmeline muttered, turning even redder.

"Just a kiss?" Fabian asked, frowning slightly. "Didn't it mean anything to you?"

"Well—I—um—_yes_?" she squeaked, her face closely resembling a rather ripe tomato.

Fabian broke into a grin as he pulled Emmeline into a kiss.

"I hate to break this moment you two are having, but I would advise you to start running. My mum looks like she's about to kill you two," James said, signalling to an irritated-looking Dorea who was standing beside a rather amused-looking Charlus, who was grinning mischievously at them. Both boys gave a yelp as Dorea stalked towards them.

"Fabian! Gideon!" she yelled, looking positively mad.

"We'd love to stay and chat but—"

"We really must get going," Fabian finished, running after his brother, who was halfway down the hall.

Lily laughed as they watched Fabian and Gideon running around the hall, dodging guests, and trying to put as much space as possible between them and Dorea. And at that moment, the war was the last thing on anybody's mind, if even for a few minutes. They had no way of knowing that soon, they'd all suffer the consequences of the war and that their Gryffindor valour would be put to the test.

* * *

The rest of the Christmas holidays passed by rather rapidly, like it usually does when you're enjoying yourself. Most of her week was spent at the Potter Manor, either out on the garden, having one of the Marauders' famous snowball fights that would leave them all, tired, wet, and incredibly cold, or else lying around in one of James' many rooms, sipping hot chocolate and simply enjoying each other's company. Lily also found herself spending a quite a considerate amount of time with Dorea, who loved to tell Lily many embarrassing stories about James' childhood, which she would then relate to him again, simply because she liked the way he would blush a crimson red. It seemed to her that Dorea suspected something about her relationship with James from the way the older woman would give her a sly smile whenever she saw the two of them together. But if she did, Dorea made no mention about it. Lily found herself enjoying her time at the Potter's Manor immensely that she was actually a bit sad as the end of the week approached.

The last day of the holidays found them sprawled about in what James referred to as the Family Room. It was a rather modest room—when compared to the rest of the manor—and it was quite comfortable and cosy. She was lying in one of the couches, her head on James' lap, listening only half-heartedly to the conversation her friends were having, feeling completely at ease as James worked his fingers through her hair. She smiled up at James and he gave her a lopsided grin, winking discreetly at her. So lost where they in their own little world—consisting entirely of only them—that they didn't notice the curious glance their friends where giving them as they whispered amongst themselves. Marlene cleared her throat loudly, before bursting out in laughter, dragging Lily back to reality in the process.

"What?" she asked, craning her neck to look at her friend, who was sitting on Sirius' laps.

"You two are such bloody idiots," Sirius said, smirking at them.

"I am most certainly not an idiot!"

"What about me?"

"And neither is James."

"Don't lie, Lils. We all know he's a bloody idiot."

"Sod off, Padfoot."

Marlene rolled her eyes, still smirking at them. "Yes, you are. You two have been too busy ogling at each other for the past half-hour to pay us any attention. When will you admit you fancy James, Lils?" she asked, turning to look at her. "We all know you fancy him."

"I agree with Marley. We all know you two are eventually going to end up together. Why not cut to the chase and save us the suspense?"

"I agree with them, sweetie. When are you and James finally going to get together?" Alice said, a tinge of sarcasm in her voice.

For a fraction of a second, Lily felt tempted to tell them about her relationship with James. But if it kept her friends in suspense, who was she to deny them that? Besides, she'd have to tell them soon enough. After all, James Potter was not known for his patience and he'd eventually start pestering her about it. But for now, she'd take advantage of the whole situation. And, it was all rather thrilling—this whole 'secret relationship' thing. She loved the rush of utter excitement she felt whenever James managed to steal a kiss from her—sometimes with their oblivious friends standing mere inches from them.

"We're just friends," she said, rolling her eyes in mock-annoyance.

"Oh, Merlin. When will you drop all this 'we're just friends' bullshit and agree to go out with him?

"When pigs fly?" she offered, trying not to laugh as James looked at her in mock-hurt.

"You're forgetting we're all magical here, my dear Lily-pad," said Sirius. "I'll make that bloody pig fly if it'll get you to go out with my mate. I swear if I have to hear Prongs talk about how bloody perfect you are, I'll hex him."

"I doubt that'll make him stop talking about Lily," said Frank. "You still love going on about Marlene."

"Whipped," coughed Remus, smirking at Sirius.

"Shove it, Moony. You're way worse. It's always '_Mary this, and Mary that'_," Sirius said, pitching his voice high, like a girl's.

"I'm starting to think Peter's the only normal one out of all you boys," Emmeline said, giving them a weird look.

"Please. Wormy loves going on about that Mara Skeeter lass, don't you, Wormy?"

"Rita Skeeter's sister?"

"The very same."

"Why?" Marlene asked, curling her nose in disdain. Mara Skeeter was a Ravenclaw fifth-year and not very popular with the girl population—although they all tried their best to stay on her good side. She was rather gossipy and seemed to know exactly what levers to push to get you to spill your guts out to her. She seemed to know the dirt on just about anyone and Lily was more than ready to bet that she was the culprit behind Pheme*—an anonymous newsletter filled with gossip and the like, that made its way around the school at least once a month.

"She's kind of cute," Peter squeaked, turning beet red.

"If you like her, then why don't you tell her, Peter?"

Peter squeaked something unintelligibly and the girls looked at him, completely puzzled.

"He said, 'Because she's kind of intimidating," Sirius translated for them, working his hands up Marlene's shirt—who, by the looks of it, seemed to be enjoying it immensely.

"Not here, Sirius," Marlene whispered, smirking slightly. "There are children present."

"Oi! Might I remind you that we're all still here," James said, grabbing a cushion and throwing it at Sirius as the latter started kissing Marlene's neck rather passionately.

Sirius smirked as he gently pushed Marlene off his lap and stood up. "Come on, Marls," he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards door. "Obviously Prongs is mad because he can't get some."

"I can too get some! Even more than you. I could get some right now, if I wanted to!" James called after him, throwing another cushion at him, but hitting the closed door instead. He smiled sheepishly as he noticed Lily looking at him, eyebrow raised. "I—well—yeah," he said, running a hand through his hair. She smirked at him and shook her head, before turning her attention back to the conversation.

"It's a bit weird, isn't it?" Alice was saying. "I mean Sirius is so—_Sirius_. And Marlene is so—"

"Marlene? Please, they're perfect for each other."

"Yes, but it's still weird to see them together," Lily said. "I thought I'd never live to see the day when the notoriously famous Sirius Black was actually serious about a girl."

"You and I both," Remus said with a sigh. "I think Marlene's good for him. Maybe she'll get him to mature a bit. Merlin knows he needs to grow up a bit."

There was a small knock on the door and a small house-elf walked in, bowing at them. "Pinky has come to tell the young masters and mistresses that dinner is ready."

"Thank you, Pinks!" James said, smiling fondly at her. "We'll be down in a moment."

Pinky nodded, before bowing herself out of the room. The sixth-year Gryffindors stood and stretched, before making their way out the door, after Pinky. Lily tried to stand up, but James grabbed her arm, dragging her back onto the couch next to him. Alice shot them a knowing smile as she made her way after Frank, dragging and oblivious Emmeline behind her. James waited until Alice had closed the door, before pouncing on her, hardly giving her any time to react as his lips crashed down onto hers. She automatically reached for his hair, gripping it tightly, deepening the kiss, before coming to her senses.

"No, James," she whispered against his lips as his hands trailed up her spine. "Your parents could walk in at any minute."

"Like I give a damn," he said, his breath tickling her neck as he kissed every inch of her face. "I've been wanting to do this all day."

"But—"

"But nothing," he said as his lips found hers again.

An amused cough interrupted them, making them both spring apart. Alice was standing in the door frame, arms crossed and an amused smirk playing on her lips.

"I hate to interrupt you two lovebirds, but unless you want to tell everyone of your secret relationship, I'd suggest you get going. I don't think Frank can keep them entertained for much longer."

Lily blushed furiously as she exited the room and James made his way after her, running a hand through his hair. Alice, however, blocked his way. Lily stopped, giving Alice a curious look.

"You go on, sweetie. I just need a quick word with James," she said. Lily nodded and Alice waited until she had disappeared before turning her attention back to James. Her expression turned grave and she glared at him, making James cringe back slightly. "I've known you since we were toddlers and I've always loved you like an older brother. But I love Lily, too. She's like my sister. If you do anything to hurt her, I'll hurt you. Got it?" Alice asked, her voice dangerously low. James nodded as he looked Alice in the eye.

"I love Lily, Ali. I would never do anything to hurt her," he said, meaning every word.

"Good," she said brightly, taking his arm. "How about we head down for dinner, then? I'm starving."

* * *

_*Pheme-the Greek Goddess of Rumour and Gossip...pretty ingenious, right? (I didn't just add that bit of the newspaper for nothing...it'll come up later in the story...maybe)_

_So, I kind of need your help on something. See one of my lovely reviewers, _**_TheMargoRothSpiegelman,_**_brought something to my attention: Sirius is obviously not the kind of guy who would commit to a relationship that easily. So I was thinking, maybe have him and Marlene in an on-and-off relationship? Or is that too cliche? Any ideas? Thanks and much love to you all!_


	30. Siriusly Pigging Out

**A/N:**_ Much love and thanks to all of you who reviewed the last chapter and to those who continue to favourite and follow the story! You guys Siriusly rock! I wrote this out of sheer boredom and I thought I'd post it up, seeing as I have yet to finish the next chapter. Not my best, but I hope you like it all the same. So, enjoy! :)_

* * *

Chapter 30: Siriusly Pigging Out

Having just come back from a much anticipated two-week vacation seemed to have left everyone feeling refreshed. All it took was for them to attend their first class to make the sixth-year Gryffindors want to return to their dormitories and sleep until the end of the year. The teachers seemed to have taken notice of their newfound vitality because they were more than keen to make sure they never saw the light of day again with the amounts of homework they were assigning. Even Lily seemed to be complaining about the vast amount of homework they were being asked to do. ("But, Professor, that's already two essays we have to do by Thursday." "Then I would suggest you start as soon as possible, Ms Evans," McGonagall responded, not bothering to look up from the papers she was grading.)

Professor Sprout seemed to be the only instructor going easy on them, seeing as they had spent most of Herbology trying to distinguish between the common lily and the asphodel plant— ("I've found the lily, Professor," Sirius said, grabbing a hold of an amused, yet greatly irritated Lily. "Do I win?" "You're supposed to be finding the asphodel, Mr Black, not the other way around. Kindly let go of Ms Evans.") It had been rather tedious, but they were all rather relieved that they hadn't been expected to handle a dangerous plant, like the Venomous Tentacula.

After another hour of note taking in their Defence Against the Dark Arts class, the sixth-year Gryffindors were more than ready for their free period. Lily and Remus made their way towards the library—as was their custom, while the rest of the group went their separate ways. She would have much rather spent it with James, but they had agreed not to, seeing as it would make their friends suspicious if they continuously kept disappearing from the group. Not ten minutes had passed when a small cough dragged Lily away from her studying. She looked up to see Marlene standing in front of them, biting her nails.

"Lily?"

"Yes?"

"I kind of need your help with something…"

Lily raised an eyebrow. "What do you need help with?"

"Can you just come with me?"

"I'm a bit busy," she said, paging through her Transfiguration book.

"Please," Marlene asked, a hint of urgency to her voice.

"Oh, alright. I'll see you in Runes, Remy" said Lily, gathering her things. Remus gave her a small nod as she stood up and allowed herself to be dragged out of the library and towards the Gryffindor common room. "What's so bloody important that you had to drag me away from my studying?" she asked as they climbed the stairs to the boy's dormitory. "Wait. Why are we going to the boy's dorm?"

"Oh, you'll see," Marlene said vaguely.

Lily rolled her eyes as Marlene pushed the door open. She wrinkled her nose as she caught sight of the boy's dormitory. It was a mess, to say the very least.

"You'd think they would bother to clean this mess up," she muttered, before turning to Marlene. "So, why exactly am I here?"

Marlene bit her lip nervously and her eyes flitted towards the door leading to the boy's lavatory. Lily raised an eyebrow as she walked towards it.

"Wait, don't go in there!"

Too late. Lily had already walked into the loo and ran out—shrieking—in a matter of seconds.

"There's a—there's a pig in there!"

"There's a pig in there?" Marlene asked innocently. "I had no idea."

"Don't give me that crap, Marley! What in the name of Merlin's beard is a pig doing in the loo?"

She poked her head back inside and sure enough, there it was, grunting indignantly at her. She turned back to Marley, a questioning look on her face.

"Well, I _might_ have turned Sirius into a pig by accident."

"That thing's _Sirius_?"

"Unless there are more pigs running around the school, then yes, I do believe that's him."

"What? How?"

"Well, we were arguing about his being a bloody idiot—" Sirius-the-pig grunted indignantly again, "—well you were! If you hadn't been acting like a complete arse—"

"Not to be rude, Marley, but will you just get to the bloody point! You can fight with him later!"

"Oh, right. Well we were arguing and then I called him a disgusting pig and I remembered that lesson earlier this week, when McGonagall told us about the spell and well…_that_ happened," she said, pointing at the indignant pig. "And I've no idea how to change him back."

"And you're asking me for help? You know I'm no good at Transfiguration!"

"Well I panicked and you were the first person I thought of!"

Lily paced around the dormitory, while Sirius-the-pig followed her every movement, grunting indignantly all the while. She might not be any good at Transfiguration, but she knew someone who was.

"Where's James?" she asked, turning to Marlene.

"They said they were going to be in the Kitchens. Why? Lils, where are you going?" Marlene asked as Lily headed for the door.

"I'll be back," she called over her shoulder.

"It's all your bloody fault," Marlene muttered, making Sirius-the-pig grunt indignantly at her.

Lily had just walked out of the portrait door when she bumped into none other than James himself. Without warning, she grabbed his hand and dragged him back into the common room.

"Well, hullo there, love. It's good to see you, too," he said, grinning at her. Lily ignored his comment and dragged him towards the boy's dormitories and up the stairs. "Where are we going?"

"I kind of need your help with something."

"Well, I'm more than happy to help," he said, grinning suggestively, making her roll her eyes. She smirked at the surprised look on his face as she pushed open the door. "What's Marlene doing here? And more importantly, why is there a pig in my dormitory?"

"I _might_ have transfigured Sirius into a pig," Marlene said, biting her lip.

James looked at them, before bursting out in laughter, making the pig grunt indignantly. "No, really, why is there a pig in here?"

"I'm serious."

"She is," said Lily, nodding her head.

"Wait. I thought the pig was Sirius."

"Damn it, James! I transfigured Sirius into that bloody pig! Now either you change him back or, so help me Merlin, I will hex you into the middle of next week!"

"Why should I? You were the one who turned him into a pig in the first place," James said lazily.

Marlene whipped her wand out and pointed it at James. "Don't mess with me, Potter."

"Just do it, will you, James?" Lily asked exasperatedly. The last thing she needed was for Marlene to turn _her_ boyfriend into a pig, too.

"Alright, alright. No need to get so snippy, Marley," he said, trying to hold in his laughter as he walked over to his mate. "Are you sure you want to change him back? I think this might be a good look for him."

"James!"

"Alright, but I've got to document this first," he said, rummaging through Sirius' trunk and extracting a muggle-looking camera. "It's charmed," he said, answering Lily's questioning look. He smirked as he turned to the squealing pig. "Alright, pig boy. Say bacon," he said, snapping the picture. He turned to Lily and thrust the camera into her hands before walking to Sirius. He smirked as he muttered the counter-spell under his breath.

"Hey there, pig boy," James said as an annoyed Sirius Transfigured before him.

"Shove it, Prongs. Those were the worst fifteen minutes of my life," Sirius said gruffly, taking the hand James was offering him.

"What I don't get is why you didn't try changing yourself back, mate. I mean, it's not like you don't know how to do it."

"Well, I wasn't thinking alright! All I could think about was how my girlfriend turned me into a bloody pig!"

Marlene burst into laughter just then, and Sirius turned to her, crossing his arms indignantly.

"And what is so bloody funny, if I may ask? Oh, wait. That's right. Nothing! You turned me into a pig!" he said accusingly.

"Well maybe if you hadn't been acting like one, I wouldn't have lost my temper!"

"Well, you were acting like a bitch but you don't see me turning you into one, do you?" said Sirius, the words slipping out before he could stop them. He cringed back, realising his mistake.

"Idiot," Lily muttered, rolling her eyes. Obviously, he hadn't learned his lesson: never, under any circumstance, anger Marlene McKinnon. She was quite dangerous when angered.

"It was nice knowing you, mate," James said sympathetically as Marlene narrowed her eyes dangerously. She grabbed the pillow closest to her and started beating him over the head with it.

"You—did—not—just—call—me—a—bitch—Sirius—Black!" she said, punctuating every word with a blow. Sirius crowed back, trying to snatch the pillow from her hands.

"I'm sorry, Marls! I didn't mean to! It just slipped out!"

"That's exactly—why we're in this mess—You—always speak—without—thinking and end up—sounding like a—complete—arse—Hey—maybe that's what— I should—change you—into next—An arse—But wait—It wouldn't—work—because—you're—already—one!"

She lowered the pillow, gasping for breath and glaring at Sirius. He took the opportunity to grab her around the waist, pressing his lips against hers. Marlene dropped the pillow, responding eagerly—she was rather grabby, Lily noted as she turned to look at James, who was darting his eyes around the room, trying to avoid the snogging fest happening beside him.

"I think I'm scarred," she said, wrinkling her nose as Sirius plopped Marlene down onto the only unmade bed. Sirius waved a hand impatiently at them, obviously dismissing them. James chuckled as he grabbed Lily's hand, leading her out of the dormitory and onto the common room.

"Where are we going?" she asked as he dragged her down the corridors.

"Well, seeing as we've finally managed to get some privacy, I'd say we're going to the closest broom closet," he grinning at her, and she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, how romantic," she said drily. "As tempting as that sounds, I've got a better idea."

James turned to look at her, eyebrows raised. "Which would be?"

"How about we play a little prank?" she said, grinning mischievously. Oh, Merlin. She was spending a little too much time around the Marauder's.

"I'm intrigued," he said, reciprocating her grin. "Do go on."

* * *

"Well, this is certainly a good look for Padfoot," Remus said, laughing down at the picture James was holding. The sixth-year Gryffindors were currently having lunch, a picture of Sirius being Untransfigured from his pig-form passing between them. The only ones notably missing from their group were Sirius and Marlene—whom they hadn't seen since their last break.

"Right? I think it seems a bit more—_him_."

"Oh, you're terrible, Lils. I think the boys are starting to rub off on you," Alice said, grinning at her friend.

"You're saying it like it's a bad thing, Ali."

"No, it's actually a good thing. Lils can be a bit of a killjoy when she wants to. No offense, sweetie."

"None taken," Lily said sarcastically.

"How do you think he'll react when he finds out we've posted them all over the school?"

"Well, knowing Sirius, he'll do something drastic."

"Well, if it isn't Circe and Porky," called out a Ravenclaw fifth-year as Sirius stalked in, dragging an amused Marlene behind him. The Great Hall broke out in laughter as the fifth-year continued. "Tell us, Black, how does it feel like to be transfigured into a pig by your own girlfriend?"

"Shove it, Emerson!" he growled, before stalking over to the Gryffindor table. "You!" he yelled, pointing an accusing finger at James and Lily.

"It's rude to point, you know," Lily said, smiling sweetly at Sirius. "Is there anything we can help you with, or did you come only to gape at us?"

"You bloody gits posted this all around the school!" he said, waving a picture around.

"I'm sorry, but we posted _what_ exactly?"

"This!" he said, shoving the picture into Lily's hand.

"Nice picture, Sirius. Did you take it?"

"You know bloody well I didn't do it!"

"Then who was it?"

"You!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Sirius," Lily said innocently. "Do you, James?"

"Nope. I never sausage a picture," said James innocently, making the sixth-years and everyone else around them burst out in laughter.

"Don't give me that crap!" Sirius said, obviously not amused. "You two were the only one's there!"

"Apart from Marlene. Maybe she did it."

"Don't drag me into this. Snout my style," Marlene said, making them laugh even harder.

"Oh, come on, Padfoot. Stop being such a boar. You have to admit it was pretty funny."

"Oh, I'll show you funny," he smirked, his grey eyes taking that mischievous glint to them he always had whenever he was plotting his next prank. Well, this certainly couldn't be good.

* * *

_So what diabolical prank is Sirius planning for them? Any ideas? I've seem to run out of them. _


	31. Sirius' Revenge

_Thanks to LifeonEarth, ginnypotter7491, Haruhi-chan131, and TheMargoRothSpiegelman for their suggestions-and everyone else for your awesome reviews! I got this idea after my niece forced me to watch **The Princess and the Frog**-__. After this chapter, things are going to get a bit more serious-I'll still try to add a bit of humour here and there, of course. Anyway, enjoy!__  
_

* * *

Chapter 31: Sirius' Revenge

For the next few days, Lily couldn't help but brooding over exactly what ingenious prank Sirius would come up with. James had just laughed it off, saying she had nothing to worry about. But she was right to worry. While James' pranks were more subtle and Remus' were on the border of being playful, Sirius' pranks where characterised by their dramatically loud noises. Simply put, he very much enjoyed making a scene. And the worst thing about them was that you never saw them coming—except if you knew exactly what you were looking for.

In hindsight, Lily should have suspected something was up as soon as she spotted Sirius' gleeful grin as he descended the boy's dormitory, a few days after the whole pig incident. Marlene, on the other hand, knew something was up as soon as she saw her boyfriend. She gave him a questioning look, but he merely shrugged his shoulders, grinning mischievously. Lily was too engrossed in looking for James—who had promised to meet her by the stairs leading to the boy's dorms before breakfast—to notice anything. It wasn't until Sirius shoved a box in her face that she finally noticed him.

"Happy Birthday, Lilykins!"

"My birthday's in three weeks," she said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Well, take it as an early birthday present, then."

"What is it?" she asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Oh, you'll see," he said, dancing eagerly on the balls of his feet.

Lily looked over to Marlene, who was eyeing the box with an amused glint in her eye. She opened the box cautiously and yelped back as a small, green frog jumped out of the box and attacked Sirius. He shrieked loudly as he started batting his arms around wildly, making Lily burst out in laughter.

"Get it off me!" he roared, jumping up and down. "Get it off!"

"It's just a frog, Sirius."

"I said GET IT OFF!"

Marlene rolled her eyes as she scraped the green frog off her boyfriend's face.

"Oh, give him here," Lily said, taking the frog from Marlene's hands. "Look at him. He's so adorable," she cooed, petting the frog's slimy head.

"Adorable my arse! He attacked me!"

"He didn't mean to, did you Froggie?"

The frog shook his head as it snuggled against her cheek. She froze, feeling oddly unsettled. Frogs didn't just shake their heads in agreement, did they?

"Why did the frog just shake his head as if it understood me?" Lily asked through gritted teeth, a fake smile plastered on her face.

"It's a smart frog?" Marlene offered, trying to stifle her laughter.

Sirius snorted and Lily turned towards him, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. And she had reason to be suspicious, what with James missing and Sirius' undeniable knack at Transfiguration, not to mention pranking. She noticed then his mischievous grin and that undeniable glint in his eye. It didn't take her much to put two and two together.

"Please tell me that this frog I'm holding isn't James."

"It isn't Jamsie," he smirked.

"You idiot! How could you?"

"How could I what, Flower?"

"Don't mess with me, Black!"

"But Lilykins, I really have no idea what you're talking about," he said innocently.

"You very much know what I'm talking about! Change him back, you big dolt!"

"And why should I do that? He attacked me! You should be thanking me, Prongsie!" he said, turning to the frog, who made another leap at him. Sirius yelped as he ran behind Marlene, using her as a shield.

"Thank you for what exactly?" Lily snapped and the green Marauder nodded his slimy head in agreement. "For turning him into a frog?"

"For tricking you into snogging him! It's a small price to pay, Prongs!"

"What?" Lily shrieked and James croaked.

"In order for me to change him back, you've got to snog him," Sirius repeated smugly.

"I'm not up for games, Black! Change him back NOW!" She stomped her foot, trying to get her point across. As usual, Sirius was being stubborn.

"Not until you snog him my dear Evans!"

"If you know what's good for you, you'll change him back this instant!"

"I want to see some snogging!"

"Fine. I'm going to McGonagall," she hissed and turned on her heel, smacking Sirius with her hair in the process.

"Stop her, Moony!"

An annoyed Remus stepped out from behind the portrait, glaring at Sirius as he stood in front of Lily, blocking her path.

"Remus, move this instant!" she ordered, placing her free hand on her hip.

"Sorry, Lils. I can't do that," he offered apologetically, still glaring at Sirius, who was smirking widely.

"Either you come up with a good excuse, Lupin, or I'll hex you!"

"The bloody git's keeping my books hostage!"

"Then you change him back!"

"Not so fast, Moony!" Sirius yelled, dangling a box of chocolate in front of him.

Remus appeared quite troubled as he looked from the chocolates to Lily. Finally, he offered her an apologetic smile as he reached for the chocolates, leaving Lily to roll her eyes and James to let out an annoyed croak.

"Fine! I'll change him back myself!"

"You do that," Sirius snorted. "And then you can explain to Prongsie why his skin is still green and his face still looks like a frog's."

Lily clenched her James-free hand into a fist and glared at him. The way she was glaring at him would have made any normal person recoil. Of course, Sirius wasn't normal; if anything he seemed nothing short of amused by it all.

"Well then you do it," she demanded through clenched teeth.

"Not until you snog him! That's my final offer! Take it or leave it."

"Will you just snog him, Lily? I'm hungry!" Marlene whined.

"Fine! But if either one of you speaks of this, you'll be sorry," she hissed.

She turned to James, who was looking curiously at her through his frog-like hazel eyes. _Just concentrate on the eyes_, she told herself as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before pressing her lips against the James' slimy ones. She heard Sirius' barking laughter and the undeniable sound of someone snapping a picture as she felt James transfigure before her very lips. He cupped her face with his hands, and kissed her gently before pulling away—much too soon for her liking.

"Victory is mine! Now you'll know better than to mess with the incredibly handsome, Sirius Black! I wonder how many girls will want to date you after they get a hold of this!" cried Sirius jovially, holding up the camera.

Lily turned to glare at Sirius, trying to draw attention from the pleased blush that was creeping up her neck. Marlene, with her imperiously sharp eyes, took notice and smirked slyly as James took his chance and pounced on a still laughing Sirius.

"You blood git!"

"Help! Somebody HELP!" he wailed as people started swarming into the common room. By now, the Gryffindors were too used to their antics to take any notice. Lily and Marlene both rolled their eyes as they watched James and Sirius roll around the floor, fighting for the camera.

"Give it here, Padfoot!"

"Never! You'll have to kill me first, Prongs!"

"Stop being dramatic and give—it—to—me!"

"Over—my—dead—body!"

"Aha!" James cried victoriously as he snatched the camera from Sirius' hands and held it high over his head.

"Arse," Sirius muttered as James stood up, grinning widely.

"Don't be a sore loser, mate! You're lucky Marlene's here or I'd hex you!"

"Now if you excuse us, we're heading down to breakfast before Herbology," Lily said as she linked her arm through James' and they both walked away.

Sirius scowled after them, but Marlene grinned widely as she helped Sirius up.

"What are you so bloody happy about?"

"Did you not notice the way Lily was looking at James or are you really that dense?"

"So?"

"There's something going on between the two of them, you dolt!"

Remus, who had been munching away contently through his box of chocolates, looked up, suddenly interested.

"I think you might be on to something, Marlene. How many times have we known Lily to defend James?"

"Exactly!" said Marlene, happy to have someone follow her same train of thoughts.

"So what do you think's going on between them?"

"Well that's were I'm confused. Lily wouldn't be thick enough to try and hide anything from me. After all, I _am_ her best friend. And she must know I'll figure out whatever it is she's hiding sooner or later."

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure. You girls can be very sneaky."

"Well this should be interesting. How about we play detective?"

"I like the way you think, Black."

* * *

_I swear, this chapter sounded better in my head lol_

_Anyway, I was thinking about making James break up with Lily somewhere in the story, but I figured that the story is about to get angsty enough without me adding that to the plate. And it sounds a bit cliche, doesn't it? And I'm having a bit too much fun thinking up of of situations that involve James and Lily coming close to being discovered by their friends. But if you guys like my previous idea better-or have a better one-let me know, will you? Thanks! Much love to you all._


	32. Snooping Around

_Yay! I finally updated! lol Well, sorry I hadn't updated in so long but I got caught up in some family stuff and had to go out of the country and I had absolutely no internet access. But I'm back and I promise I'll update more regularly! ____Oh, before I forget, I've given much thought about whether I should split Lily and James up and I've decided against it. Thank you all for you suggestions! They really helped. _

___Okay, I'll shut up now._

_Much love,_

_-Evie_

* * *

Chapter 32: Snooping Around

With their first week of the second term behind them, Lily and James' schedule became rather complicated, leaving them little to no time to spend in each other's presence. She had prefect duties to attend and he had a Quidditch team to train, meaning that the time they were able to spend in privacy was rather limited. James was starting to regret ever mentioning anything about keeping things a secret between them, but he figured that having Lily as his secret girlfriend was better than not having Lily at all.

Besides, he could definitely wait until Lily felt confident enough to expose their secret; he didn't want to have to rush her into anything and then have her hate him later because of it. It certainly wasn't the relationship James had always hoped for, but at least he had Lily, which was more than he could say about Snape. That made him feel loads better.

And it wasn't like he wasn't able to spend any time with her. Having two of his best mates dating two of _her_ best friends was definitely a plus; it meant that he was able to spend most of his time with her. And they could always meet in private whenever they wanted to. They had taken to meeting in secluded places around the castle whenever the opportunity arose; having Alice in on their secret was definitely a plus, given that she covered for them whenever they went missing.

The only downside to _that_ was that James seemed to find keeping his attention away from Lily whenever she was around extremely difficult. And given the way Sirius and Marlene kept sending suspicious glances their way, he knew it was only a matter of time before they realised exactly what was going on between them. They obviously knew something was going on between them, they just weren't sure what.

James might have remained oblivious to their suspicions a while longer, had it not been for Sirius' not-so-subtle way of trying to draw the truth out of him. They were sitting in the Common Room one afternoon, discussing Quidditch Strategies. At least that's what James figured they were doing; he was too busy staring at Lily from across the common room, who kept glancing up at him, giving him discreet winks and lovely smiles. Had he not been preoccupied with sending Lily a soppy smile, he might have noticed Remus' knowing smile as he glanced from him to Lily.

"Prongs, are you listening, mate?" said Sirius suddenly, waving his hands in front of him, blocking Lily out from his line of vision.

James reluctantly tore his gaze away and looked irritably at his best mate. Sirius noted his irritable expression and glanced over his shoulder, rolling his eyes.

"Are you staring at Evans again, mate?"

"Of course not!" said James, a little too defensively.

Sirius rolled his eyes, obviously not convinced. "When are you just going to bloody ask her out? Unless," he said, his eye glinting amusedly, "you've already got something going on with her, but you're too dense to tell us exactly what it is. Either that or you're gay, mate. It'd make sense, wouldn't it? I mean, it's been ages since you last asked a girl out. Personally, I think you're losing your touch. Or you're gay. It's the only explanation."

"Bugger off," growled James, glaring at Sirius, who grinned widely.

"Don't worry mate," said Sirius, clapping James on the back. "We support you entirely. Don't we, Moony?" Remus rolled his eyes and Sirius gasped in mock-disbelief, touching a hand to his chest. "Out of all people, I thought you'd be the last to be prejudiced towards Jamie and his sexual prefe—"

"I'm not gay!"

"Who's gay?" asked Peter, who had barely arrived from his tutoring session merely seconds before.

"Jamsie," Sirius stated matter-of-factly.

"You are?" he asked, gaped-mouth.

"No! Of course I'm not! Damn it, Sirius!" cried James, rubbing a hand over his face in frustration.

"He's a little sensitive about it right now," whispered Sirius to a still puzzled-Peter.

James glared at Sirius, trying very hard not to curse his best mate where it hurt. "I'm. Not. Gay," he growled dangerously.

Sirius obviously seemed not to decipher the murderous look on James' face as he clapped his back sympathetically-either that or he just didn't care. "It's alright, mate. It's not your fault that you were born that way and all that shit."

James threw his hands up in exasperation and he stood up abruptly, making his way toward the portrait hole.

"Remember, Jamsie, we're here for you! We don't care what you are or if you like it in the ar—"

"I'M NOT GAY!" James bellowed, attracting quite a few curious glances from the Gryffindors, including a certain redhead, who wore an amused smile on her face. James caught her eye and could feel his face growing hot as he quickly exited the Common Room, escaping the prying eyes of his housemates.

"Poor bloke's in denial," said Sirius, shaking his head.

* * *

Lily tried hard not to laugh as she watched James quickly exit the Common Room. She knew she should go after him and see what the matter was, but she couldn't follow him just yet. That'd be a tad too suspicious. She decided to give him ten minutes before she followed after him. Nobody would suspect a thing; they'd just figure she was heading down to the library. She smiled to herself as she returned her attention to her Potions book. She hoped that she could at least get started on her reading, before she went looking for James. Of course, Marlene had other plans.

"Lily?" asked Marlene after five minutes of glorious silence.

"Mmm?" she responded, not bothering to look up from her book.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Mhm."

Marlene rolled her eyes and snatched the book from her hands. "Pay attention, will you? This is important."

"Fine. Now that you have my undivided attention, what do you want?" Lily huffed exasperatedly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm your best friend, right?"

"Yes," she responded slowly, looking at Marlene curiously. What was going on?

"And you'd tell me anything, right?"

"Of course I would," she said, not sure where she was going.

"Great. So tell me, is there anything going on between you and James?" she asked innocently, giving Lily a not-so innocent, piercing look.

Lily just managed to keep her expression blank, suddenly thankful of all those years of verbal abuse she had to endure from her sister. They had somehow made her adept at hiding any hint of emotion from her face. She raised her eyebrow slightly in what she hoped would come off as annoyance.

"No. We're just friends. I thought we'd gone over this before," she said, wrinkling her nose slightly, like she always did whenever she was lying. It was something she did without realising it; had she known, she would've tried to conceal it. Marlene, who had known her for nearly six years now, saw it and caught on instantly, unbeknownst to Lily, of course.

Lily thought she saw the corner of Marlene's lip twitch slightly and she wondered for a moment if Marlene had seen through her lie. But Marlene just glared at her, her piercing sapphire eyes scrutinizing her. They stared at each other defiantly, blue never leaving green, until Marlene finally uncrossed her arms slowly.

"I'll be keeping my eyes on you, Evans," she said, before walking off, to meet Sirius-who had suddenly disappeared-in a broom cupboard, no doubt.

Lily sighed in relief as she watched Marlene exit the common room. That had been a close one; maybe she shouldn't follow James just yet. But she was just _dying_ to know what had been the cause of James' sudden outburst. Naturally, her curiosity got the best of her so she packed up her stuff and slipped inauspiciously out of the common room, towards the only place she knew James would most likely be: the Room of Requirement.

It was his most-prized discovery-one that he had not shared with anyone, except Lily, of course. It's where he went whenever he needed some alone time to think or simply relax. She slowly made her way down the Seventh-floor corridor, careful not to be seen, until she reached the portrait of Barnabas the Barmy. And, much to her delight, she found a door materialising before her. She pushed the door open and an exact replica of the Gryffindor Common Room met her eyes. She closed the door quietly behind her and her eyes scanned the room, finally spotting James in one of the chairs by the fire, his head thrown back and his eyes closed. She smiled as she made her way toward him, plopping down into a seat next to him, her feet tucked neatly under her.

"So," she said slowly, trying to conceal the amusement in her voice. "You're gay?"

James groaned as his eyes flung open, making a grab for Lily's hand. "Sirius is a right git, you know that?"

"I've known for a few years now," she said, giving his hand a squeeze.

"Thinking I'm gay," he snorted under his breath. "Me! James Potter! Have you heard of anything more ridiculous? Stupid git," he muttered under his breath.

"How'd he come up with that?"

"Said something about me not dating and losing my touch or some other bollocks like that. He figured it was either because I was already dating you or I was gay. Me! Gay! Can you believe that?"

"That's funny," said Lily, frowning slightly.

"What is?" asked James, still muttering a few choice words under his breath.

"Well, Marlene asked me not a few minutes ago if there was anything going on between us."

"She did?" asked James, sitting up straight.

"Mhm. Obviously I denied it, but still…do you think they suspect something?"

"Dunno. Sirius obviously doesn't; he's too absorbed with himself to notice anything that doesn't concern him. I think Marlene's the one we should worry about. She's very clever and very sneaky."

"Tell me about it," snorted Lily under her breath. It was thanks to Marlene's sneakiness that allowed her to stay out of trouble. In more than one occasion she had managed to pull a prank right under Professor McGonagall's nose, somehow finding a way to put all the blame on the unsuspecting Marauders.

James opened his mouth to speak, rubbing the back of his neck hesitantly, before thinking better of it, and closing his mouth. Lily noticed and turned to look at him, a questioning look in her eye.

"It's just that-well, wouldn't it be easier if-you know what, never mind."

"No, James, what were you going to say?"

"You know what, forget it. It was nothing important."

Lily opened her mouth to press the subject further, but decided against it. She had a mild idea about what James wanted to say and that was _not_ something she was willing to discuss just yet. So instead, she opted for saying, "So what are we going to do about Marlene, then?"

"Dunno. But I reckon you'll come up with something; you're right clever when it comes to these things," he said, giving her a small smile. He pushed a red curl out of her face, cupping her cheek with a calloused hand as he pressed a light kiss against her lips. "Right now, I've got more important things to worry about."

He kissed her once, twice, and she could feel the corners of her lips tug upward. "Not that I'm complaining," she said, lightly pushing herself away to look at him, "but I don't think we should be away for long. People might get suspicious."

"True. But then again, they have no idea where the hell we are."

"But won't they see us together in that map of yours?"

"What? The Marauder's Map? Nah, I've got it-wait, how do you know about the map?" James asked, running a nervous hand through his hair.

Lily rolled her eyes and smiled. "Honestly, James, you didn't expect me to believe you miraculously knew where I was every minute of the day, did you? I've known about the map for some time now. That and I threatened Remus into telling me about it when he asked me for help with some charms."

James laughed, shaking his head. "The bloody git. Never does have any willpower when it comes to women."

"That and I'm known to be rather persuasive."

"Oh really?" said James, giving her a lopsided grin.

"Really," she said, kissing him lightly.

"You're not going to confiscate it are you?"

"If I didn't do it before, what makes you think I'd do it now?"

"Dunno," he said sheepishly, making Lily roll her eyes again.

"You're a twat," she said, slapping his arm playfully. "Can I see it?"

"See what?"

"The map, duh."

James grinned as he extracted a folded piece of parchment from his robes, dirty at the corners from use. He unfolded it once and he extracted his wand from his robes, pointing it at the parchment before muttering something that sounded something like, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good", but Lily couldn't be sure. She wasn't about to spend time pondering over it since at that precise moment, words started appearing on what had only been a blank parchment seconds before.

"Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present The Marauder's Map," read Lily, raising an eyebrow in amusement. "Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers?"

"It's what we Marauders do. We're out to make sure that mischief-makers out there have all the tools they need!" said James proudly, grinning widely. "It's our purpose in life."

"You're an idiot," said Lily, rolling her eyes, an amused smile playing on her lips, nevertheless.

While all this was going on inside the Room of Requirements, a very different conversation was taking place just a few feet outside.

Lily had been too busy with finding the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy to notice a certain Sirius Black and Marlene McKinnon trailing a few feet after her. Of course she wouldn't have spotted them even if she _was_ looking, given that Sirius had somehow managed to nick James' cloak right from under his nose.

"How can you be so sure she's off to meet James?"

"Because I just am. Now, where do you think she's headed?" whispered Marlene to her companion as they rounded a corner.

"Dunno. But I do know where _we_ could go," Sirius whispered seductively, looking at Marlene from under those long lashes of his, as he pinned her against the wall. Unfortunately, his charm was lost on her.

"Now is not the time, you twat," she said, half-irritated, half-amused as she pushed him away from her. "We're supposed to be—where'd she go?" she asked suddenly, looking around.

"Who?"

"Lily you git!"

"What do you mean?"

"She's gone!"

And indeed, it seemed as if Lily had disappeared into thin air for she was nowhere in sight. Of course, she hadn't really disappeared. Not into thin air, anyway. Had Sirius not distracted Marlene, they would have noticed her slipping in through the door leading to the Room Of Requirements.

"But she was just right there! I saw her!"

"I can't believe you lost her!"

"Me?" exclaimed Sirius incredulously.

"Yes you! This is all your ruddy fault!"

"How the hell is it my fault?"

"You distracted me! You and your bloody hormones!"

"Hey!" cried Sirius indignantly. "I didn't hear you complaining about my hormones earlier!"

Marlene rolled her eyes as she rubbed her temples exasperatedly. Why did Sirius have to be so bloody annoying sometimes? Thank Merlin she had plenty of self-control or she'd have hexed the living daylights out of him by now. She chose to ignore his comment, for now.

"Since you blundering idiot caused me to lose sight of Lily," she said through gritted teeth. "We're going to have to resort to Plan B."

"And what would that be?"

"Oh, you'll see," she replied, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

Even though he had no idea what Marlene's Plan B involved, Sirius grinned impishly. Knowing Marlene, it would definitely be something good; _almost_ Marauder-ish good. Lily and James would never know what hit them.

* * *

___Yes, yes, I know that I had said things were about to get a bit more angsty (and they will) but seeing as I've been in a foul mood lately, I wrote this mostly for my benefit. Hope no one's disappointed and sorry again for not updating! Anyway, let me know what you think, yeah? Thanks! Much love to you all!_


	33. Truth or Dare

_I literally rewrote this chapter at least three times before I deemed it acceptable enough to post up. I'm still not sure how I feel about it, but I hope you all like it._

* * *

Chapter 33: Truth or Dare

Remus stared out the window, effectively drowning out the sound of Professor McGonagall's voice. He wasn't one who approved of not paying attention in class, but seeing as today's lesson involved Animagi and he pretty much had _that_ covered, he was willing to let his mind wander for once.

At the moment, he felt incredibly uneasy. Marlene and Sirius had been trying to get him to help them with some sort of 'Plan B'. He really couldn't be sure though; he had only understood half of the rubbish Sirius had been going on about before he had stopped him.

There was no way he would ever participate in whatever Marlene and Sirius were planning, no matter how much they insisted.

_Smack!_

Something hit Remus in the back of his head, dragging him away from his thoughts. He rolled his eyes, knowing exactly who the culprit was. He ignored them, hoping against hope that Sirius would leave him alone.

"_Pst_! _Moon_y!"

No such luck there. Remus pretended not to have heard him as he picked up his quill and bent over his desk, pretending to take notes. Sirius, not one for taking being ignored lightly, threw another object at him, this time harder. Remus gripped his quill tightly and he clenched his teeth, doing his best to ignore Sirius.

"Moony, hey, Moony," Sirius whispered, poking Remus with his quill.

"I might be wrong, but I do believe he wants to talk to you," Mary whispered to him as she scribbled something down on her parchment, sounding highly amused.

"Really? I never would have guessed."

Sirius poked him again, this time harder and Remus curled his free hand into a fist. _Just ignore him, Remus,_ he thought to himself as he pressed his quill down on the parchment, making a small whole on the paper. But it's quite hard to ignore someone when they continuously poke you with a quill.

Had it not been for the bell ringing, Remus might have lost his temper and effectively earned himself a detention. He stuffed his quill and parchment into his knapsack rather hastily, before sprinting out of class, not even bothering to wait for Mary. All he cared about was putting as much distance between Sirius and himself as possible.

"Moony!" Sirius yelled as he ran after him, causing Remus to break into a run. "Hey Moony! Wait up!" He noted with some satisfaction that Sirius' voice seemed faraway. "Moony!"

Remus pushed past people, not bothering to stop and apologise for his haste as he looked for a good place to hide. So busy was he that he hadn't noticed he had walked straight into Marlene until she had grabbed a hold of his arm and began pulling him down the corridor again, not paying any heed to the curious looks she was receiving, nor to his many protests. They rounded a corner only to find Sirius standing there with his arms crossed, grinning widely at him.

"Glad you could join us, Moony," Sirius drawled.

"Sod off, Padfoot," he growled, before turning to Marlene. "What part of '_I-don't-want-to-help-you-with-whatever-you're-planning_' don't you understand?"

"What part of '_We-don't-care' _don't _you_ understand, Moony?"

"I don't get why you even need me," Remus protested indignantly as Marlene continued dragging him down the corridors. "You two are very capable of doing whatever you're planning by yourselves."

"We need someone to keep watch, Moony," Sirius answered simply as he strutted ahead of them, humming quite loudly the theme song to a spy movie he had forced them to watch the previous summer.

"Keep watch for what?"

"Well, let's just say Sirius and I are going to 'borrow' a potion from old Sluggy."

"What potion?"

"Oh, Veritaserum," Marlene shrugged nonchalantly as if it were no big deal.

"That's your Plan B?" Remus exclaimed, staring incredulously at Marlene and he stopped, refusing to budge. "_Veritaserum_? You do realise that's dangerous, not to mention, illegal? _And_ not only are you going to do something that is highly illegal and dangerous, you are going to steal from a teacher too? Do you realise exactly how many school rules we'd be breaking? You two have just reached a whole new level of irresponsibility. As a prefect, I cannot stand for this."

Marlene looked at him in amusement. "That's rich, coming from a Marauder. '_Highly illegal and dangerous'_? Please. You've done worse things."

"This is different! You're talking about taking away someone's freewill for the simple purpose of humiliating them. Well, maybe not _humiliating_—"

"So, kind of like a prank?" Marlene asked innocently, cutting him off.

Remus ran a hand through his sandy hair, silently cursing himself for being so stupid; he had definitely set himself up for that. He scowled as Marlene looked at him, a haughty smirk playing on her lips.

"Exactly," she said as she took his hand again, dragging him down the corridors once more.

"What if he's in his office?" he said after a minute of silence, trying a different tactic.

"Then you'll have to create a distraction to get him out of his office for a few minutes."

"But we know he isn't there right now," Sirius said, patting his pocket.

Remus groaned and they continued walking in silence, being careful to avoid Filch, or worse, McGonagall, who would surely be curious as to why three of her students where down in the dungeons instead of having dinner, like the rest of their House. They came to a stop as soon as they had reached their Potions classroom and Sirius cautiously opened the door, peering inside before slipping in, his hands held out in front of him as if he were holding a muggle gun as he examined the empty room, pointing it in all directions. Remus rolled his eyes as Sirius motioned to Marlene over his shoulder.

"The coast is clear," he said, placing his 'gun' back into his pocket.

"Right," Marlene said, patting him on the head before turning to Remus. "You take the map—" Sirius nodded once as he held the map out automatically and Remus took it, rolling his eyes again—"and keep watch."

Remus nodded as he stood in front of the door and Marlene walked past him, following Sirius. He took his wand out and tapped the map once, muttering the activating phrase under his breath.

He examined it intently, his eyes lingering on Mary's dot—which was barely visible over the many dots of his fellow Gryffindor's—before finding Slughorn's. After confirming that neither Slughorn nor McGonagall where anywhere near them, Remus allowed his eyes to roam freely around the map.

He was about to put it away, when something caught his eye: Peter's dot was in the library, of all places, and he happened to be in the company of—_Mara Skeeter_? Remus blinked once, before peering down at the map. Sure enough, there was Mara's dot, right besides Peter's. He frowned, turning his head back.

"Hey, Padfoot?"

"Yeah?" Sirius replied, sounding frustrated. "Hey, Moony, what's that unlocking spell?"

"_Alohomora_," Marlene responded for him sounding annoyed; even though he couldn't see her, Remus knew she had rolled her eyes.

"Did you know Wormtail's down at the library with Mara?"

"Who?"

"You know, Mara Skeeter, that snobby fifth-year nobody likes?"

"Oh _that_ Mara," Marlene said, her voice laced with distaste. "Well as much as it intrigues me to know what the hell Peter is doing with that Skeeter girl, _we_ have more important matters to attend to. Like finding that bloody potion."

"Any luck, Pads?"

"No," Sirius replied, sounding annoyed. "The only thing in here are flasks full of green liquid, a purple-ish one, a couple clear ones, an or—"

"What colour did you say the last ones were, Sirius?" Marlene asked exasperatedly.

"Clear. I reckon they're water."

"That's the potion, you twat!"

"Well, in that case: Eureka! I have found it," Sirius said, sounding oddly pleased with himself. He emerged from the classroom with a handful of flasks filled with colourless liquid cradled in his arms. He raised one high above his head, grinning proudly. "I always wanted to say that."

Marlene followed after him, rubbing her temples in frustration. "Let's get out of here before _I_ do something I've always wanted to do."

"And what is that?"

"Punch you in the face."

* * *

Despite it being rather early on a Friday night —it was about twelve thirty to be exact— the common room was mostly deserted, save for a of pair seventh-years who were sitting in a corner, a bottle of Firewhisky passing between them and the sixth-year Gryffindors—all ten of them—who were sprawled out at odd angles, taking up most of the chairs. Lily and James sat in the loveseat closest to the fire, the former with her feet propped up on his lap, trying to avoid arising any sort of suspicion about their relationship in their friends—which is quite hard when you happen to look rather cosy with the person they suspect you of dating.

"So, Wormy, mind telling us exactly what you were doing with Skeeter down in the library?" Sirius drawled, sprawled lazily on his armchair, grinning at the boy in question.

Peter squeaked, obviously alarmed that his friend knew about his meeting with Mara. "How—how did you know?"

"Do not question how I know, Wormy. I've got eyes all around this castle," Sirius said, as he drew a finger around in a circle for effect. "Nothing can hide from the Great Sirius Black."

"We saw you in the map, Pete," Marlene said, rolling her eyes as she propped her head up with her palm, her elbow resting against the chair's armrest.

"Where you spying on me?" he asked accusingly, scrunching up his face.

Sirius barked out a laugh as he sat back, placing his arms behind his head. "Now, why in the world would I do that, Wormy? I've got better things to do, you know."

"Like Marlene," Lily muttered under her breath and James grinned, squeezing her ankle affectionately.

"What was that, Lily-petal?" asked Sirius, grinning lazily at her.

"Nothing," Lily said, giving him her best innocent smile.

"You know, as interesting as this conversation is," Marlene said drily, an unmistakable mischievous glint in her eyes, "I have a better idea on how we can waste our time."

"Which would be?"

"Well, I don't know if you'd be interested in playing this game," she said, looking at them thoughtfully. "It's highly dangerous and could end in humiliation; a game only a true Gryffindor would play."

Alice, who had been too busy playing with Frank's hair, looked up suddenly, genuinely curious. "What game?"

"The name of the game is," she paused dramatically, placing a strand of raven hair behind her ear as she leaned forward in her seat, "Truth or Dare."

Emmeline snorted. "That's your '_highly dangerous_' game? Truth or Dare?"

"Oh, but this isn't just any regular game of Truth or Dare," Marlene replied, biting her lip as the corners of her lips tugged upward and she rose an eyebrow haughtily. "There's a twist to it."

"Which would be?"

"We each take a shot of Firewhisky, spiked with a few drops of Veritaserum," Marlene replied smugly. She sat back in her seat, the haughty smirk reappearing on her lips.

They all stared at her, shock evident in their faces, except for Peter, who looked completely puzzled.

"What's Vesirateresum?" he asked, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"It's Veritaserum, Wormy," Sirius replied lazily, exchanging a grin with Marlene. "Wizard-truth telling potion."

"How do you play?" Emmeline asked finally, eyeing them curiously.

"Well, it's more or less like the Muggle version of it. 'Cept you _actually_ have to tell the truth, because of the Veritaserum issue. And you get your question first, so you can decide whether or not you want to answer or take the dare instead. The dares are usually ten times worse than the question, though."

"And what happens if you decide not to go through the dare?" Lily asked, looking at them thoughtfully. James was gaping at her wordlessly and Lily smirked. "Close your mouth, James. You look like an idiot."

"Excuse me?" he managed to choke out. "Did I hear right? _The_ Lily Evans is joining in on whatever shenanigan these idiots are planning?"

Lily shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm bored and it's not like there's anything better to do."

"You—you're not going to stop it?" Remus asked, looking as surprised as James felt. He had been hoping his fellow prefect would put an end to this madness; no such luck there.

"When have they ever listened to anything we have to say, Remus? It's like we muggles say, if you can't beat them, join them," she said, throwing her hands up in defeat.

"That's the spirit!" Sirius said, grinning widely at her.

"You're not even going to ask where they got the Veritaserum from?"

"I'd rather not know; that would make me their accomplice. That way, when McGonagall interrogates us, I can feign ignorance."

"So, what _does_ happen if you don't go through the dare?" Mary asked, no longer able to hold in her curiosity and Remus stared at her, his mouth hung open. _Et tu Brute? _

Marlene looked at them, tapping her cheek thoughtfully. "As far as I know, nobody has ever _not_ done a dare. It would be very unGryffindor if you did. But don't worry. Soon we'll all be way too drunk to remember anything tomorrow."

"Unless you wake up stark naked in the middle of the Quidditch Pitch," James muttered darkly. "That you remember." Lily looked at him, biting her lip to keep herself from laughing out loud and James shrugged. "A Marauder never backs down from a dare."

"So, are you guys in?"

"Do we have a choice?" asked Frank.

"No, not really," replied Sirius, smiling lazily from his seat.

"Fine."

"Sure."

"Whatever."

Sirius grinned, rising from his seat. "I'll be back in flash!"

They all watched in amusement as the handsome boy ran straight for the boys dormitory at full speed, only leaving behind him a flash of curly, black hair. Marlene waved her wand lazily, rearranging the furniture so that a table and ten chairs stood in the centre of the room.

By this point, the seventh-years had mysteriously disappeared out into the balcony—Lily had a feeling it wasn't because they wanted to observe the stars—so they were guaranteed that no one was going to question what they were up to.

Emmeline rose gradually from her seat, as did the rest of their friends, and James took the opportunity to turn to Lily.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he whispered rapidly. "You do realise Marlene and Sirius are obviously going to use this opportunity to try and figure out as much as they can about what's going on between us?"

Lily smirked arrogantly, and James couldn't help but feel a bit proud—he had taught her that, after all. "I think you're forgetting who you're talking to, James. I'm smarter than those two put together, not to mention, I know all of the loopholes," she said smugly.

"Loopholes?"

"You have to be very specific in this game. And besides, if we refuse to play, they'll become suspicious," she replied as Sirius reappeared, an assortment of shot glasses and Firewhisky cradled in his arms. He set them down one the table, before extracting a flask filled with clear liquid from his robes.

"So, are you ladies going to join us?" Sirius called out to them, grinning widely. "Or are you just going to sit there, discussing how sexy I am?"

"I'd rather eat bubotuber pus than discuss how '_sexy'_ you are, Padfoot." James smirked as he followed Lily to the table, taking a seat next to her.

"So, who's going to start?" Marlene asked, before Sirius had the opportunity to retort with an insult of his own—they could go on all night if that happened.

"I will," Lily announced and nine pairs of eyes stared at her, evidently shocked. "What? I can be daring too, you know. I'm a Gryffindor after all."

"Who are you and what the hell have you done with our lovely, little Lily?" Emmeline asked, giving her friend a smirk.

"Oh, sod off, Em," Lily said, sticking her tongue out childish.

"Oh, look there she is; our ickle Lilykins," Marlene said, reaching across the table to pinch her cheek. Lily slapped her hand away, making her laugh.

"So, are we going to play or what?"

"Or what?" Remus offered lamely.

"Oh, come on, Remus," Marlene said with an eye roll. "Even Lily's playing and she's just as much a prude as you are."

"I am most certainly not a prude!" Lily cried indignantly, shooting Marlene a dark look as she shoved her shot glass into Sirius' hand. "Pour me a shot."

"Certainly, Lily-pad." He poured a generous amount of the amber liquid into her shot glass, along with a few drops of Veritaserum, before handing it back to her. Lily took the glass, looking at them expectantly as Sirius did the same with the rest of their glasses.

Emmeline grinned, leaning back into her chair. "I'll ask first."

"Alright," Lily said, raising the glass to her lips and downing it in one gulp. She shuddered slightly, making a face. "Merlin, I can never get used to that taste."

"I've always been curious, who was your first kiss? You always change the conversation when anybody asks."

Lily turned red, throwing a laughing Marlene a dark look. "Scott Peterson."

There was a silence, before her friends burst out in laughter, staring at her incredulously. The boy in question was a Ravenclaw sixth-year with a rather sever case of acne. Lily might have felt bad for using him, had it not been for his snobbish attitude.

"_Craterface_? Why in the world would you ever kiss him?"

"It was a dare!" she said through gritted teeth, glaring at them.

"And how was it?" Mary asked as soon as they had calmed down enough for her question to be heard.

"Completely awful," Lily replied, shooting Marlene another dark look. Marlene shrugged, looking amused. "I reckon I get to choose who goes next." She tapped her chin thoughtfully, before smirking. "So, Marlene, tell me, on a scale of one to ten, how _good_ is Sirius?"

Marlene narrowed her eyes her as the sixth-year Gryffindors burst into laughter once more. Sirius sat up in his chair suddenly, looking at her expectantly.

"I chose dare," she said firmly through their laughter and the hilarity mounted. Sirius glared at her, looking as if he had just been insulted.

"Merlin, mate. You must be _really_ bad if she refuses to answer the question," James managed to choke out, causing them to laugh harder.

"I'm not! Tell him, Marls!" He turned to Marlene, looking very much like an upset child who looks to his parents for reassurance.

"I hate you, Lily," Marlene muttered, glaring at an amused Lily before downing her drink. "Eight."

Sirius looked appalled as he gawked at Marlene, trying to ignore the laughter issuing from his friends. "_What_?"

"It's not that I don't enjoy it—it's more of that thing you do with—"

"Whoa," Lily said hastily, cutting her off. She had no intention of hearing whatever Marlene was going to say. "Totally _not_ appropriate."

"I agree," Alice said, scrunching up her nose. "Why don't you just get on with the questioning?"

"Fine. James." James, who had been doubled over in laughter, sat up suddenly, eyeing Marlene wearily. "Are you a virgin?"

"Er—" He glanced at Lily—who was giving him a look he couldn't quite decipher. He hesitated, looking quite flustered as he brushed a hand through his hair. "I chose dare."

Suit yourself," said Marlene. She waited until James had finished his drink before continuing. "I dare you to wear a dress for the remainder of the game."

"Pathetic, Marley. Is that the best you can do?"

She shrugged. "I'm just warming up."

James looked at her thoughtfully. "I don't even own a dress."

"No problem." Marlene waved her wand, transfiguring James' robes into a skimpy black dress that might have shown a considerate amount of cleavage, had he been a girl—on him it just showed a smooth, toned chest.

James stood up, grinning widely as the rest of the Gryffindors doubled over in laughter. "Does this dress make me look fat?"

* * *

One hour and a considerate amount of Firewhisky later, Lily had found out more than she ever cared to know about her fellow Gryffindors. Like that the mail-order for witch-hair products she had spotted lying around the boys dormitory when she had gone to borrow a book from Remus, actually belonged to Sirius, who claimed it was because of his 'sensitive hair'. And that Peter had actually been helping Mara study—although _why_ she had asked him, of all people, was still a mystery to them.

And that Remus had exactly one mole on his right cheek—this she had learned from a dare from Sirius, whose exact words were: "Moon us Moony!" She had also learned, with much blushing on her part and giggling from the girls, that James was an excellent lap dancer—that had been a dare from Remus, who was considerately less of a killjoy when drunk.

Although, admittedly, so was she. She had stopped worrying about whatever plan Marlene was concocting to get her to admit to her relationship with James and was actually enjoying herself. She had even gotten used to the taste of Firewhisky, somewhere after the fifth drink, although she couldn't quite get used to the spinning that came with it. Her friends had all but laughed at her when she had tripped onto an amused James' lap on her way back from the loo.

Apart from the spinning, she was actually quite glad she had agreed to play the game, given that she had somehow managed to convince Marlene, along with everyone else, that there was nothing going on between her and James. Although that hadn't stopped Emmeline from daring Lily to kiss James in front of the Great Hall. Not that she minded, but she wasn't all too keen on giving the Hogwarts population any reason to start spreading rumours.

* * *

"Lily!" Mary sang, giggling slightly. Lily opened her eyes a fraction and unwillingly turned to look at her friend, but she continued with her singing. "Lily, Lily, Lily!"

Lily winced; it was giving her a headache. "Are you feeling okay, Mar? Not that I mind you singing my name like a maniac or anything."

"Don't mind me, I'm drunk," she said, giggling again.

"Right. So, what did you want?"

"Oh, yeah. Could you help me upstairs?" she said, amid giggles. "Em's already gone and Remus is knocked out in his chair—"

"What do you mean Em's gone?" Lily asked. She rose her head abruptly to survey the empty room, making the room spin violently. "Where's everybody?"

"Well, I reckon they decided to call it a night, but I'm not sure. I kind of dozed off and found the room empty, except for those two," she said, gesturing to a snoring Remus and James, who was still sporting the black dress. "I tried waking them up, but they just won't budge. I was about to give up on you, too, but I kind of need help up those stairs."

Lily rose from her chair, groaning loudly, feeling as if her head might explode. The room gave another violent spin and she held onto the table, willing the room to stop its infernal spinning. "Fine. Let's go before I decide to join those two and fall back asleep."

They drunkenly headed for the stairs, using each other for support. It was quite an ordeal and it took longer than normal, given that Mary had to stop every five seconds due to her incessant giggling. Had they not been too busy trying to keep each other from falling, they might have noticed the dark-haired boy and his companion sitting in one of the armchairs closest to the portrait door.

"Well this was completely useless," Sirius said, watching as Mary misjudged a step and fell down, making both girls giggle foolishly.

Marlene smirked. "I wouldn't say that."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I wasn't expecting Lily to admit anything about her relationship with James. It was more about getting her to think that we believed all that crap she's been feeding to us about her and James being "just friends. Which, thankfully for us, is going to cause them to be less cautious about trying to hide whatever it is they're hiding, making our job easier."

Sirius grinned. "You're a genius, you know that?"

Marlene merely smirked as she tapped her chin thoughtfully. It was time to put Step Two of her plan in action.


	34. Discussions and Plans

_A/N: One more chapter and I'll finally be able to get this story back on track! Yay! Lol Anyway, thank you all for the reviews, you guys are awesome!_

_Disclaimer: Nope. I still don't own Harry Potter. That still belongs to the incredibly talented Ms Rowling._

* * *

Chapter 34: Discussions and Plans

The next day found the Gryffindor girls lying about their dormitory in different positions and doing what people suffering from hangovers do best—promising never to touch a drop of Firewhisky for as long as they lived. They had spent most of their Saturday morning trying to get out of bed—every time they tried, the room would spin violently, making them fall back into bed—before finally giving up. Luckily for them, Alice's mum had sent her a box of biscuits a few days before, which meant that they weren't going to 'starve to death', as Marlene had put it.

"Remind me again, why exactly did we allow Marlene to talk us into playing that bloody drinking game again?" Mary asked as she made a feeble attempt to stand up from her bed, before letting her head fall back against her pillow.

"I dunno," Lily groaned, shielding her eyes with one hand against the excess of light streaming in from the large windows in their dormitory. She didn't know what was worse, her stabbing headache or the fact that she couldn't remember anything from the night before. "It seemed like such a good idea last night."

"_Everything_ seemed like a good idea last night," Emmeline mumbled, her voice muffled by her pillow.

"Does anyone even remember what the hell happened last night?"

Another groan, this time from Alice. "All I remember is daring Mary to strip down to her knickers and run down the corridors. After that, everything's just…_dark_."

"Wait. _I_ did that?" Mary cried, sitting up abruptly.

Lily laughed as she raised her head a fraction, turning to look at her friend, who was turning an alarming shade of red and looking completely mortified. "Oh, Merlin. Imagine that! Sweet, little Mary running around in only her knickers! How the hell can I not remember that?"

Mary scowled at her, crossing her arms tight across her chest. "Sod off, Evans."

"Don't worry, Mar," Emmeline said, her voice barely audible over the giggles she was trying to supress. "It's not as bad as snogging Craterface." She stopped trying to supress them then, and collapsed into a giggling fit that seemed quite infectious because she was soon joined by Mary, Alice and Marlene.

"Out of all the things you could possibly remember," Lily said through gritted teeth as she glared at them, "you chose to remember _that_?"

"Well, I'm sorry, Violet, but _you_ snogged Craterface. It's not something that's easily forgotten, you know," Emmeline said, drawing more giggles from the girls.

"Oh, Merlin. Stop," Mary managed to breathe out, holding her stomach. "My head feels like it's about to explode."

"When the hell did that even happen, Lils?"

Lily sighed. "You remember back in third-year during that Hogsmeade trip, when Marlene and I were too sick to go?"

"Oh, I remember that! You two thought it'd be a good idea to jump into the lake, fully clothed, in the middle of December," Emmeline said with a snort.

"I still have no clue as to what made you two think that'd be a good idea."

"Perhaps it was the Firewhisky," Alice said thoughtfully.

"It definitely was the Firewhisky."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Anyway, Marlene and I were bored and we started playing the muggle version of Truth and Dare. So, yeah. That's how _that_ happened."

"But _why_? You couldn't get me to snog him even if my life depended on it."

"I already told you, it was a dare! I couldn't just say no." She turned toward Marlene, sending her a dark look. "Stupid, Marlene," she muttered. "It's all your fault."

Marlene smirked. "You could've just chosen not to do the dare, you know. It's not like I was holding you at wandpoint or anything."

Lily glared at her, before breaking into a mischievous grin. She wondered how her friends would react if she told them about Marlene's dare—the one that had involved Marlene accepting Xenophilius Lovegood's, a now seventh-year Ravenclaw, invitation to Hogsmeade. It wasn't that Lovegood was completely horrid—he was downright amiable and a tad handsome—it was simply that he was a bit _mental_. He had an unhealthy obsession with Crumple-Horned Snorcksacks and Nargles—whatever _those_ were.

"You didn't have to go through with your dare either, Marley. But that didn't stop you."

"What dare?" Mary asked curiously and Lily smirked.

"Don't you even dare, Lily," Marlene hissed. "You promised not to tell!"

"Tell what?"

Before Lily could respond, a yell was heard from downstairs, followed by an angry shout:

"You stupid git!"

Lily sat up in her bed, frowning at the door. "Was that James?"

"I think so."

Mary, who was closest to the door, crawled out of bed and opened the door a fraction, peeking her head out. They heard her gasp, followed by another cry, this time from Sirius: "What's your bloody problem, Prongsie?"

At the sound of his voice, the girls all stood up from their beds, forgetting completely that they were supposed to be feeling miserable, and ran down the stairs, to see what the whole commotion was about. A small group of laughing Gryffindors was gathered around in the middle of the common room, and Lily pushed her way past them, using her prefect status to get to the front, with her very curious friends following closely behind her. She came to a stop next to an exasperated Remus and rolled her eyes as she caught sight of James and Sirius, rolling around the ground, a stack of pink flyers scattered around them.

She sighed as she grabbed a hold of James' collar and pulled hard, making him fall off. Remus followed suit, grabbing Sirius under the arm and heaving him up. James glared at Sirius as the latter smoothed his clothes indignantly, a mischievous glint in his eyes, nevertheless.

"Nice bunny slippers, Lily," Sirius said with a smirk.

Lily looked down and realised she was still wearing her nightclothes. She blushed, pulling down on the hem of the pair of old shorts she used for sleeping.

"Alright, what the hell is going on here?" she asked, ignoring Sirius' previous comment.

"That's what I would like to now! I was just sitting here, minding my own business when this bloody git attacked me!"

"Don't act like you don't know, Padfoot! You posted them all over the bloody school!"

"Posted what?"

"That!" James yelled, pointing to the stack of pink flyers.

Eyebrow raised quizzically, Lily walked over to where the flyers lay and picked one up, turning it over. It took all her willpower not to laugh as she gazed down at the flyer, where a picture of James wearing the black dress as he wildly danced around the common room, grinning widely took up most of the parchment. Underneath that read the words: _Exotic Dancer Available For All Occasions_. _Just Ten Sickles The Hour_.

"Oh, Merlin," Alice choked out, before bursting into laughter, as did the rest of her friends.

"Merlin, James. Don't you look—_sexy_," Marlene managed to gasp out, making those around them laugh harder.

"Don't laugh," James growled darkly and Lily nodded, biting her lip.

Sirius grinned, looking very pleased with himself. "You didn't think I'd forgotten about that stupid prank you and Lily pulled on me three weeks ago, did you?"

James growled, before pouncing on Sirius again, making him fall facedown.

"I'm going to kill you, Padfoot!"

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm going back to bed."

"No, Lily. Wait. I suppose now that we're all together, we can start planning."

"Planning for what exactly?" Lily asked, turning around to face Alice.

"Well, tomorrow _is_ your birthday, sweetie."

This seemed to catch James' attention. He stopped trying to pry Sirius' arm off and looked at Alice. "Shouldn't we do it when Lily's not around, though? You know, like a surprise party."

"Wouldn't work," Marlene said as she tapped her cheek pensively. "Emmeline would just end up telling her anyway. She's not very good at keeping secrets. Besides, it wouldn't be much of a surprise now, would it?"

"Hey," Emmeline said with a frown. "I resent that."

"Right. So let's go somewhere private were we can plan in peace," James said as he stood up, heading in the direction of the boy's dormitory, with the rest of the sixth-years following suit. Lily rolled her eyes as she allowed Marlene to drag her toward the boy's dormitory, only speaking once they were safely inside.

"Alright, let's get one thing straight: absolutely _no_ alcohol," Lily said, plopping down onto what she supposed was James' bed—every inch of it was covered in posters of either Puddlemere United or the Gryffindor Quidditch team. He grinned as he took a seat next to her, placing his arms behind his head.

"But, Lily," Sirius whined, "It's your seventeenth birthday!"

"He's right, you know," Frank put in. "You're only going to turn seventeen once. It's a big day in every wizard's and witch's life."

"Don't you guys ever get tired of drinking?" Lily asked exasperatedly. "I know I do. I don't even want to _see_ alcohol in the next month or so."

"Lily's right," said Remus. "Besides, we don't need alcohol to have fun."

Mary nodded. "I agree."

"Fine. No alcohol," Marlene said after a moment. "But we're still having the party."

"Oh, come on, you guys. I don't want anything big. Can't we just, I don't know, have a nice, little picnic by the lake or something?"

"No, we can't."

"Well, it is _my_ birthday. So I say I get to decide whether or not we have a party. And I say we don't."

"Well, that's too bad, Lily, because I say we do. And so does everyone else. Right guys?" Marlene turned to look at their friends and they voiced their agreements. "See? Sorry, Lils, but you're outnumbered."

"Fine," Lily said huffily.

"Well, now that that's settled, exactly what are we going to do for Lily's birthday?"

James grinned impishly. "Just leave that to the Marauders. We'll take care of everything."

* * *

Early the next morning, the sixth-year Gryffindor girls were clustered around Lily's bed, trying to persuade each other into waking her up. None of them seemed _too_ keen on being granted that honour—after all, Lily was known to hex whoever dared to interrupt her sleep.

"So, who's going to wake her up?" Mary whispered, eyeing their sleeping friend warily.

"Wasn't it your turn, Ali?"

"What? No way. I woke her up last time," Alice said, turning to look at Emmeline expectantly.

"Don't look at me! Last time I woke her up she hexed me! I was literally pulling out bat-bogey's from my hair for a bloody _week_."

"Can somebody just wake her up? There's still a lot we have to do before the party," Marlene whispered furiously.

"Why don't _you_ wake her up, Marley?"

Lily stirred and they all froze, eyeing her warily, only resuming their arguments once they had confirmed that she was still fast asleep. Not that she was asleep; she'd been awake since before they had started their arguing and she found that she was enjoying hearing them fret over who would be the one to wake her up. But, as much as she was enjoying it, it was starting to give her a headache.

She smirked as she opened her eyes, placing both hands behind her head. "So, who's going to be the brave Gryffindor?" The girls jumped, obviously startled, and Lily laughed.

"Happy seventeenth!" they chorused after a moment of silence, jumping onto her bed. Lily laughed cheerfully as she was engulfed in hugs.

"How does it feel like to finally be legal, Lils?" Mary asked, grinning at her friend as she lay next to her.

Lily grinned, stretching her hands. "Bloody fantastic!"

"You're so lucky you were born in January," Emmeline said with a sigh. "Me? I have to wait until May."

"At least you weren't born in July," Marlene muttered. "I'm going to be the last one who turns seventeen."

"We'll still love you the same," Lily grinned, reaching over to pinch her friend's cheek. Marlene laughed, swatting her hand away. "Alright, enough of the chitchat. Where are my presents?"

"Oh, I just love your modesty," Alice said drily, grinning at her friend as she held out a small box in gold and red wrapping. "It's from the four of us. We all pitched in to buy it for you."

"What is it?" Lily asked, eyeing the box curiously as took it from Alice's outstretched hands.

"It's what every witch gets on her seventeenth birthday, Lils," Emmeline grinned.

Lily nodded as she opened the box, gasping at its contents: a goblin-made wristwatch, with diamond-encrusted lilies surrounding the face of the watch lay in the middle. She took it out of the box, holding it up to the light.

She smiled at them, her eyes sparkling. "Merlin, it's beautiful. I—thank you."

Marlene grinned, waving her hand around. "It's nothing. We didn't want you missing out on the tradition."

Lily grinned as she turned her attention to the small pile of presents by the foot of her bed. From her parents she received a pair of earrings that matched the charm bracelet she was sporting on her wrist; from the Marauders and a few other friends, she received a large supply of Honeydukes chocolates, much to her delight. She was surprised to find that the Potters had sent her a gift also—a book by a wizarding author that, according to Alice, was an excellent read.

Her favourite present, without a doubt, had been the one James had given her: an ornately carved wooden box. Lily had been surprised to find the most beautiful melody playing when she had opened it, a small ballerina dancing around the box. It was a magical music box, Alice had explained, that played music according to her mood.

"Alright," Alice said after the last present was opened. "Now get dressed and let's head down to breakfast. There's still a lot we have to get done before your party."

Fifteen minutes later, Lily was being escorted down the corridors toward the Great Hall by her friends, with Marlene and Alice on either side of her, their arms linked together. It was quite an ordeal given that there were _five_ of them and not enough room for all of them to fit—at least according to Lily.

"That's absolute rubbish, Lily," Mary said. "There's plenty of room to accommodate us all."

"And even if there weren't, these people can wait. It's not like the food is going anywhere."

Lily laughed as she allowed herself to be tugged into the Great Hall, towards their usual spot at the Gryffindor table.

"Ah, there she is!" Sirius bellowed eagerly as they approached the table, "Happy seventeenth, my dearest Lilykins!"

"Oh, why thank you, Sirius! Now, how about you hand over all those banned items you keep hidden under your bed? Since, you know, it's my birthday," she said with a grin.

"Banned items, you say? What could possibly make you think I have such items stashed under my bed?" Sirius asked innocently. "I'm hurt by your insinuation, actually."

Lily smiled, rolling her eyes good-naturedly.

"Ignore him, Lily," came a much quieter voice to her left and she spun around. "Happy seventeenth," Remus said, grinning at her.

"Happy seventeenth," Peter chorused, looking sheepish.

"Thanks, you guys!" She looked around, finally becoming aware of James' absence. "So, er, where's James?"

"Oh, er, he had to take care of some, _business_," Sirius said offhandedly.

"He'll be down in a few minutes," Remus assured her as she reached for a crumpet.

"Alright—Oh!" Lily gasped as a pair of familiar, warm hands clasped over her eyes.

"Guess who," a husky voice whispered in her ear, his breath trickling against the nape of her neck.

"Amos?" she asked innocently as she removed his hands, smirking up at the messy hair boy with bespectacled hazel eyes.

"Why—what—how the hell can you confuse me with that bloody git?" James asked, looking at her in mock hurt as he sat next to her.

"Good morning to you, too, James," Lily laughed.

James grinned. "Happy seventeen, Lil," he said, squeezing her hand under the table. "Did you like your present?"

"I loved it. It was beautiful. Thank you."

James smiled, before turning to the boy to his left. "Everything set, Pads?"

"Yep," Sirius grinned mischievously.

"Ready for what?" asked Lily, looking at both boys quizzically.

James merely grinned as several explosions started coming from all directions, making the Great Hall fall silent as they looked around for the source. Fireworks were exploding from overhead, all different colours—green, purple, orange, blue, pink, but most predominantly, red and gold. Lily smiled as the face of a roaring lion appeared before bursting into a rain of red and gold sparkles, leaving in its trail _'Happy Birthday, Lily Evans'_ branded into the sky. She laughed as the message changed after a few seconds, now reading _'Happy Birthday, Lily Potter'_ instead, alternating between the two surnames every five seconds or so.

The Great Hall burst into applause at the end of the display and she was surprised to see that even Professor McGonagall had joined in, an amused smile playing on her lips. Lily laughed again as she joined in on the clapping, stealing a glance at James who was grinning lopsidedly at her. She grinned at him, giving his hand a squeeze.

"So, did you like it?"

"Like it? I love it, James. Thank you," she said.

"So you're not going to kill us for that whole, Lily Potter thing?" he asked sheepishly. "I swear that was all Padfoot's doing."

Lily laughed. "I'm still debating whether or not I should do it. Although," she said, lowering her voice so that only he could hear, "I don't really mind the way my name looks next to your surname."

James grinned elatedly. "Yeah, neither do I."

* * *

After breakfast, Marlene shooed them away, claiming that Lily couldn't be present, because it would 'ruin the surprise'. Lily thought it was all rather silly, but she had only agreed after Alice had sent James with her, to keep her busy; really, who was she to deny the opportunity to spend some time with James?

She had led them to the library, which James had found extremely funny.

"You know, Lil," he said as he followed her to an empty table, "you're the only girl I've ever dated that would willingly spend her birthday in the library."

Lily smiled, rolling her eyes. "That's because you've only ever dated brainless bimbos. Besides, I have to finish my Runes homework. It's due tomorrow, you know."

James laughed as he took a seat next to her, propping his head up with his hand as he observed her. Lily started scribbling away furiously in her parchment, her fingers tracing along the lines of the Runes she was supposed to be translating. Her finger stopped over a particularly difficult-looking rune and she turned to James.

"Hey, James?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you have any idea what that could possibly mean?"

James leaned in, pressing his body against hers in the process, his face mere inches from hers. She caught scent of an expensive men's cologne, mixed with the smell of freshly mowed grass and something woody, like that of a broomstick handle. Lily was reminded of the aroma she had smelled coming from the Amortentia earlier that term. She smiled, finally realising what she had smelled; it had been James.

"You smell like wood," she blurted out, blushing lightly once the words had left her lips.

"Er—_thanks_?" James said uncertainly and Lily laughed.

"Never mind. So, have you any idea what it means?"

"It looks like a triangle?" he offered lamely.

"You're hopeless, James," Lily laughed, turning back to her book.

James brushed a hand through his hair as Lily leaned in, peering down at something in her book. "Lil?"

"Mmm?" she replied, not bothering to look up.

"Lil, I was wondering—have you given it any thought?"

"Given what any thought?"

"About when, you know, we can officially become a couple. I mean, I think it's been long enough."

"Yes," she said, her eyes still glued to her book as she scribbled down something. "I've been thinking about that too. I think it's about time."

"Are you—are you serious? Did you hear me right, Lil?"

Lily looked up finally, turning her head to look at him. "Yes, I am," she said, raising her eyebrow. "I'm tired of running around; it makes me feel like a bloody criminal."

"Wow—I just—_wow_." James grinned lopsidedly. "So it'd be okay if I kissed you right now?"

"I suppose so, although it wouldn't really matter seeing as there's nobody here."

James laughed as he leaned in, capturing her lips with his for a brief moment. "So are you saying we should do it somewhere public?"

"Exactly," Lily smirked.

"Alright. Where?"

"When's your next Quidditch match?"

"Next week."

"Perfect, we'll do it next week."


	35. Of Quidditch Matches &Birthday Parties

_A/N: Guess who's back? ;) Did you miss me, did ya, did ya did ya? I know I did! I missed you guys to bits and I feel horrible for leaving you for so long! Four whole months!_

_I am so so so sorry I took so long updating! It's just that I was beginning to think of writing as a chore and I decided to take a few days off, but those days turned into weeks then into a moth and then...well. College can really kill you, sometimes!_

_But I'm back now! With more ideas than ever, so expect lots of new stories, if you're following me, and new updates soon! I just hope this Chapter will live up to your expectations, because I really have no idea what I had planned for it. It's not bad-not entirely anyway-but I'll leave that for you guys to judge!_

_Oh, and I've got a little treat for all of those who wanted to see Sirius commentating again. And no, that's not my way of bribing you guys into forgiving me. Really, it's not...ahem...moving on!_

_Disclaimer: Of course I own Harry Potter! That's what I was doing when I was away, negotiating with Rowling...I was, I swear...really I was...alright fine. No, I wasn't, which leaves me to conclude that I do not, indeed, own Harry Potter. Well, darn._

_Cheers,_

_-TheGreyLadyy_

* * *

Chapter 35: Of Quidditch Matches and Birthday Parties

"**S**urprise!"

Although she had been expecting it, she nearly jumped about a foot in the air as she stumbled into the nearly dark room. James chuckled beside her, taking her arm to help steady her as someone turned on the lights, just barely.

Lily grinned as her eyes swept over the dim common room, taking in the smiling faces of her friends and peers. The room had been decorated with several Gryffindor-themed ribbons and a homemade banner ran from one side of the room to the other, reading: Happy Birthday Lily-Flower! The ceiling had been enchanted to make it seem as if a thousand glittering lilies were raining down onto them; Lily laughed at the cheesiness of it, but she had to admit it had been a nice touch and extremely impressive. Occasionally, there was the soft BOOM! of fireworks going off, bathing them in harmless sparks of different colours. The cake, she noticed, was in one far corner, swaying to the beat of the music it appeared, with James' tidy scrawl across and she could just barely make out what is said: Happy Seventheenth!

There was music blasting in the background, to which some people were swaying, drinks in hand because, of course, Sirius had disregarded her warning about having alcohol and she was too excited to make a fuss.

"And there is the lovely birthday girl," Sirius grinned as he strode toward them, throwing a hand over her shoulder. He handed her a Butterbeer, uncorking it with a flick of his thumb. "Now that she's here, let's get this party started!"

Lily caught James' eye over her shoulder and rolled her eyes as cheers were heard throughout the room. He smiled, passing a hand through his hair. He looked on the verge of telling her something, but was dragged away by Sirius, who claimed to have a bottle of firewhisky with their name written all over it.

"Lillian!" Marlene grinned, running up to her as she grabbed a hold of her arm. "Come dance with us!"

She allowed herself to be dragged unto the dancing floor and joined her friends. It took her a moment to really get into it and soon, she was jumping around, not really caring how silly she might look. It was her birthday, after all, and like Frank had said, she would only turn seventeenth once. Might as well make the most of it, right?

"Like the decorations?" Alice nearly cried, her voice barely audible over the music. "They were James' idea."

"Loved them," she grinned, pointing at the falling lilies. "Who did that?"

Emmeline grinned. "Who else? James, _obviously_."

Lily grinned, admiring the complicated charm work. "Impressive."

She caught James' eye, who was standing to the side a firewhisky glass in his hand and smile in place as he observed her. He had been beside himself when Lily had finally agreed to make their relationship known and it was kind of cute, the way he kept looking at her as if he couldn't believe his luck which, Lily suspected he probably couldn't.

After all, if anybody had told her a year ago that she'd be dating James Potter, of all people, she'd have thought them mental.

* * *

**F**or all the fuss she had made about not wanting a birthday party, Lily was really enjoying herself. And by the looks of it, so were her friends.

She had long since been abandoned, left only with Emmeline who, by the looks of it, was about to collapse onto the nearest chair anytime soon. She smirked, imagining already the hangover her friend would be whining about the next day.

Sirius and Marlene were occupying one of the large armchairs though, by the looks of it, they'd be retreating real soon. And they weren't the only ones. The party seemed to be dying out as people retreated to bed or rather, to _bed-related_ activities and she suspected that the two seventh-years standing directly to her left weren't that far off either, and if Alice and Frank kept _that _up, they'd probably be disappearing soon, too.

Remus and Mary seemed to have more decency than the rest, standing to the side as they swayed to the upbeat music but, by the way his hands were roaming, she suspected he wasn't as innocent as he liked to pretend.

It was sweet really, watching them like that—apart from the roaming hands, of course—and Lily found herself wishing that she'd stop putting off the inevitable. After all, her friends suspected her of dating James already and it wasn't as if the school had been blind to their little escapades so, really, what was she waiting for?

"I think I'm gonna go lie down for a moment," Emmeline mumbled, snapping her out of her thoughts. No sooner had the words left her mouth did she fall back onto the armchair nearest her, soft little snores escaping her, making Lily giggle.

"Is she out?" a voice asked beside her and Lily turned her head to find James standing next to her. He seemed to be as sober as she and she noted the same glass of firewhisky in his hand.

"I don't think we'll be hearing from her at all tonight," Lily smirked. She paused, arching her eyebrow. "Where were you?"

She wasn't jealous, of course not. After all, she'd been the one who suggested they try to keep their distance, until the Quidditch match, although she couldn't quite remember _why_ she had suggested it in the first place, with the way James' mouth had been trailing down her neck.

"With Wormtail, but he's passed out." He nodded to his left, where Peter was snoring loudly on the floor near the girls' staircase. He turned back to her, giving her a smile. "Enjoying the party?"

"I am now," she smiled, turning to face him as she placed her arms around his neck. It couldn't hurt anyway; the common room was nearly empty and the people still present were too intoxicated to remember their own name let alone that they'd seen Lily and James a little _friendlier_ than normal

James grinned, placing his hands on her waist and pulling her closer as he swayed her slowly. "You haven't thanked me yet, you know."

Lily pulled away from him slightly, a frown on her face. "If you're insinuating I _thank you_, you've got something coming for you, Potter."

James laughed, playing with a strand of her hair. "Merlin, I did not mean it _that_ way. Just a simple thank you would be nice."

Lily smiled unabashedly, reaching up to place a soft kiss to his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered.

"No problem," James murmured against her skin, giving her that lopsided grin he loved so much and Lily found herself wanting to press her lips against his.

The only thing holding her back from snogging James senseless right now was her own tendency to leave things until the very last minute and her own insecurities. The thought of letting someone into her heart, only to have them hurt her, was one that had always terrified her, which is why she had tried to keep James as far away as possible when he had started showing interest in her.

Obviously that hadn't worked out the way she had planned, because here she was now, dating the arrogant prat she swore she'd never fall for.

Funny how things work out sometimes.

* * *

**L**ily didn't know how she managed _not _to say something during the course of the following week, by the way James kept giving her those suggestive smiles and went out of his way brush his hands against hers or lean his body close to hers whenever she was in the proximity. It was unnerving, really, the way he would lick his lips whenever he talked to her, or else biting them in that oh, so suggestive way whenever she'd catch his eye.

It was a good thing she had a strong sense of willpower, or she'd have lost all dignity and snogged him like there was not tomorrow when he 'accidently' brushed his leg against hers during their last Transfiguration class.

Of course, she hadn't gone without a fight. She made sure to 'forget' to button the top of her shirt or play with her hair in that absentminded way she'd notice other girls do, whenever she talked to a person of the other sex, just because she knew it drove him crazy.

She didn't know how she did it, survive the week without snogging him, but she did. And, for the first time in her life, she was actually glad when the Quidditch match rolled around.

She observed the field anxiously as the players mounted their brooms, her scarf wrapped tightly around her neck as she hugged her coat to her body. James caught her eye, giving her a small wink as Madam Hooch went through the usual motions of introducing the Captains to one another.

"Fifteen sickles that Hufflepuff catches the snitch, but Gryffindor wins," Emmeline whispered beside her.

Lily was about to protest about the illegality of _betting _on a Quidditch game when Remus grinned, leaning across her to take Emmeline's outstretched hand.

"Deal."

Lily turned to her, arching her eyebrow.

"The Hufflepuff team is good, but Gryffindor is better," Emmeline explained with a grin. "They rely too much on Diggory who I won't deny is a good Seeker, but that'll be their undoing."

Lily shook her head as the familiar voice of Sirius, who had somehow managed to anger McGonagall, _again_, rang throughout the field.

"Hello and welcome to the much expected Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff match! I am, as you know, the devilishly handsome Sirius Black, back by popular demand because, apparently, you guys just can't get enough of me! Not that I blame you, since I _am_ rather well, _hot_," his voice bellowed, his grin evident in his tone.

"Oh, Black, don't I love your modesty," they heard Professor McGonagall mutter. "Can you please just get on with the introductions?"

"Of course I can, Minnie! On this corner, we have those poor, poor Hufflepuffs-I mean, really, they should just give up, Gryffindor is obviously going to—"

"Black!"

"Yes, Minnie?" Sirius asked innocently.

"What did we say about criticising the other team?"

"Do it as often as you can!"

"_Black_!" McGonagall warned.

"Alright, alright, Minnie! No need to get snippy! As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted—"

"Black!"

"—on this corner we've got the Hufflepuffs, Captained by none other than Amos Diggory, the big-headed git—"

"Black!"

"—Not that it's a bad thing, it'll probably help us win faster if he can't get his fathead off the ground—"

"I'm warning you!"

"Sorry, Minnie!" Sirius said, not sounding sorry at all. "Now, for those Hufflepuff Chasers, we've got Mark Watson, Elsie Waters, and Michael and Chelsea Abbot, or as I like to call them, Dumb and Dumber!"

"Black!"

"Starring as the team's Beaters, we've got Eric Hunt and Jerry Nicholson, although we've got nothing to worry about, Gryffindor, considering that they look more fit to be catching butterflies than hitting Bludgers!"

"This is my last warning Black!"

"And last but not least, we've got the Gryffindor team, Captained by none other than James Potter himself…" James grinned as he was introduced, waving at the cheering Gryffindor crowd. He caught Lily's eye, giving her another wink as Sirius finished the introductions.

"And they're off! With Hufflepuff in possession, although not for long…Potter's hot on Watson's trail…and he gets the Quaffle! Good man, Potter! He passes it to Prewett, who passes it to Pearson, back to Potter and…he scores! Ten to zero!"

The crowd cheered and Lily couldn't help but join in, grinning as widely as ever.

"Gryffindor back in possession…Prewett passes the ball to Potter….oh! He avoids a Bludger just in time…" Lily flinched as the Bludger brushed past James, just barely. "Good thing too, or else that'd probably ruin his already ugly face and then he'd have lost _all _chances with the lovely Evans!"

"Black!"

Lily felt herself blush and Emmeline grinned, nudging her elbow against her ribs.

"Obviously not, considering that she happens to be madly in love with the bloke, judging by the way she's grasping my arm," she whispered and Lily blushed even more, if that was possible, quickly loosening her grip.

She concentrated instead on the game; she could see what Emmeline had meant, about Gryffindor being a better team. Even though she knew little to nothing about Quidditch, it was apparent, even to her, how well the Gryffindor team worked with each other. Their moves seemed calculated and precise as they moved gracefully through the air, scoring goal after goal. She couldn't help but note how desperate Diggory looked, whose team had only managed to score two goals, as his eyes scanned the field.

"And it's 150-20, with Gryffindor in the lead! I daresay, Diggory, if you want a chance to win this thing, which you obviously don't—"

"Black!"

"—you should hurry up and find that snitch! And there's another goal from the Gryffindor team, thanks to the lovely Alice Prewett! 160-20! Your chances are getting slimmer, Diggy!"

And indeed they were. Not ten minutes had passed and both Felicia and James had managed to score two more goals. Amos seemed more desperate than ever, shouting out commands to his teammates. She couldn't say she blamed him. Even though she knew nothing about Quidditch, she knew how important it must be for Amos to win this match, with him being a seventh-year and all.

"180-20! It's not looking good for the Hufflepuff team! And look! What's this, ladies and gentlemen? It appears as if Diggory has finally seen the Snitch! And look at them go! Diggory's in the lead, with Wilson right behind him! Merlin's pants! Is he going to get it…he is…no…yes…and he does! That leaves the score at 180-170! Gryffindor wins! Hufflepuff catches the Snitch but GRYFFINDOR WINS!"

"We won!" Emmeline cried as cheers erupted all around them, but Lily had since vacated her seat and was currently running down the stairs to hear anything. "I'm fifteen sickles richer!"

"BEAT THAT HUFFLEPUFF! WE BEAT YOUR ARSE! WE—wait, what's this, ladies and gentlemen? Is that-could it be-Lily Evans is running down the field? Look at her go!"

The crowd stopped mid-cheer, concentrating instead in the red whirlwind that was Lily. Sh ignored the whispers coming from the crowd, not slowing her pace for an instant as she ran straight into the waiting arms of a flushed, extremely happy-looking Gryffindor Chaser. She felt herself blush as her lips crashed against his. James responded eagerly to her kiss, his arms wrapped around her waist and, somehow, both of them lost their footage, crashing to the ground in a soft thud,

She could hear her friends yelling her name somewhere to her left, but their voices were drowned out by the school's cheers, which had gotten _even_ louder, while Sirius wolf-whistled in the background.

But she didn't care, because it was definitely worth it, seeing James' flushed face as they pulled apart, his lopsided grin in place looking equally parts surprised and pleased, although he had known it was coming.

"Well, will you look at _that_! It seems as if Gryffindor's got a Double Victory! Who would've thought? Guess someone owes _me_ twenty galleons!"


End file.
